Clash in the Land of Snow: Legacy Version!
by FictionReader98
Summary: This story is in response to Tellemicus Sundance's challenge for someone to write a movie version of Naruto: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, with his characters from Legacy of the Rasengan.
1. The Opening Act

**Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version**

_Chapter 1–The Opening Act_

A/N: This is story is in response to Tellemicus Sundance's challenge for someone to write a version of the Naruto Movie, Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow with the Legacy characters. It is HIGHLY advised that you read Naruto: Legacy of the Rasengan before this. Otherwise, it won't make sense why Naruto and co. act and appear the way they do.

**One Week after Sasuke was 'retrieved.'**

The wind blew across the now silent battlefield, discarded weapons – broken arrows embedded in branches, bloodied swords lying on the ground, discarded broken shields scattered like leaves in autumn – and corpses of men in full armor littering the ground. The stench of death and decay was still strong in the air, with a mild breeze carrying it as far as the eye could see. The rain falling didn't help either. It just added to the cold and despair of the situation.

One man, by the name of Sukeakuro, was on one knee, sword in the ground to support him, the other one discarded at his side. The wind and rain blew into his face. He wore a standard blue and white uniform, and he had long hair, which was swaying in the wind. "We have nowhere left to go," He said softly, just loud enough for the other three around him to hear. "This is it. Our road ends here."

Nearby, a large man in the same uniform was lying on his back on the cold, wet ground. His spear off to the side of him. His name was Shishimaru. "It was a fool's decision. Doomed from the start."

The third man, whose name was Burikinto, was lying against a tree, his back to it. Though that did not protect him anymore from the wind and rain then lying on the ground did. He too wore the standard uniform as his two companions. The only difference was that he wore a cap, with cloth around his ears. His scimitar lay discarded beside him. "This is the end." He added. "We...must turn back."

"There is a way. Have faith." Came a firm, but strong voice. All three men turned to see a young woman stood up against the wind and rain. She did not shiver at all, her stance firm and presence inspiring. She wore a beautiful kimono and had her long hair in a ponytail. "We will find it." Her name was Gale. The Sky Princess.

"But Princess…" Sukeakuro started.

She immediately turned around and faced them. Her green eyes piercing all three of their very souls. "Do not give up!"

"Princess…" Shishimaru said.

Roaring laughter was heard then. "Princess Gale!" shouted a voice. They all looked at the source. On top of some ruined buildings, was a figure in armor, samurai helmet and holding a nasty looking staff. "This is as far as you go!"

"Mao!" Gale cried. Instantly the other three men grabbed their weapons and ran towards her, battle ready. "Don't tell us that this storm is your doing bastard!?" Burikinto demanded.

Mao's only response was to laugh. At the same time, one of the bodies in samurai armor rose up and appeared behind Princess Gale, charging her.

"Behind you, Princess! Look out!" Naruto cried in the movie.

"Do you ever shut up?" Sasuke asked.

"Don't you ever get tired of being an ass?" came the reply.

Sakura sighed mentally, trying to enjoy the movie.

The samurai nearly struck Princess Gale in the back. Fortunately, she span off to her left just in time. She brought her own sword at a horizontal direction at the samurai, left hand hovering just inches from it. She then shoved the sword forward. "**Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu!"**

What seemed to be wind burst from the blade hit the samurai dead on, blasting the armor completely apart and revealing no body inside.

Naruto nodded to himself at the technique, his own gears in his mind working as he replayed that attack in his mind over and over. Hmm…if he took a sword – or a kunai for that matter – he could gather wind charka around that blade, using it as a focal point. He could then make the wind recoil on itself to launch it, with the blade as the launching pad. If he made the wind act in a way similar to his Kaze Kiwa, then he could add a stabbing and slashing effect to it. He could only grin at the thought of that.

He then watched as Princess Gale, Burikinto, Shishimaru and Sukeakuro all turned around to see all the corpses getting reanimated. They all get to their feet and readied their weapons, pointing them all at the four heroes.

"Give up Princess!" Mao shouted out in glee, raising his staff once again. Doing so increased the wind's ferocity twofold. "Fall to your knees and bow before me!"

"I will never give up."

Everyone – villain, ally and corpse – looked on the fabled Sky Princess. "As long as I live, I will gather my strength…" She then abruptly turned around and looked strait at Mao. "And construct a path so that others may follow!" She then began glowing brightly, several colors at swirling all at once. Seven in all.

"The Princess." Shishimaru said softly, amazed at the sight of her.

"Her Rainbow Charka is burning," Burikinto commented. He then looked at his two fellow soldiers. "Come my brothers! Let us burn our charka to!"

"Hai!" came the unanimous response, as the three stood in front of the Sky Princess, Burikinto right in front of her, scimitar draw. Shishimaru was to Gale's right, spear ready and Sukeakuro was to Gale's left, dual swords poised to strike.

"Pitful!" Roared Mao. He then began to spin his staff around and around at a surprising fast speed, showing pure skill as he did so. The kind of skill that took years to achieve. The kind of skill that should the true nature of his power: devastating. The winds themselves were howling more and more as he did so, kicking up debris as they did. The winds and debris then began circling him, in conjunction with him twirling his staff. He then slammed his weapon forward, shooting off a large, black streak of energy lashed out at the four…only to have it rebounded!

The audience gasped at the sight: the four's charka was merging, creating a barrier around the four, protecting them! But the same could not be said about the samurai corpses. With Mao's attack being diverted, it began destroying everything else it could reach. Specifically: the army of the dead.

The four warriors did not seem to notice their good fortune. They were entirely focused on Mao. Princess Gale herself then let out a mighty battle cry as she performed her Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu once again. Only this time, she drew on the combined strength of all the other three as well, making it over four times as powerful, if not more so!

"**En'en Nijiiro Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu!**" Gale shouted out as she shoved her sword forward once again. A rainbow burst of energy shot forth, easily overwhelming Mao's attack. It continued surging forward until it hit the villain in the chest, who in turn let out a loud cry of pure anguish. The blast carried him up into the sky when he disappeared behind his dark cloud cover, followed quickly by a brilliant and radiant white light.

Naruto continued to look at the sight with his eye and was in complete awe. Now that was a jutsu! He grinned eagerly. He couldn't wait to break out scroll 6 of the Uzumaki Family Scrolls and begin creating new jutsu!

As soon as the white light vanished, the dark clouds began to disperse, the winds began to die and the rain ceased. As they faded, a rainbow slowly started to emerge in the sky, a beacon of hope and promise that the day would be fair.

Naruto couldn't help but shout in joy from his spot on the ceiling. "ALRIGHT! PRINCESS GALE YOU RULE! GOOD STICKS IT TO EVIL ONCE AGAIN!"

"Hey! What are you freeloaders doing up there!?"

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke weren't in the seats, as one would usually expect when one was at the movies. No. They were standing on the ceiling, getting some training in while they watched the movie that was somehow part of their mission.

At the voice, Naruto was so surprised that he almost lost his footing. Almost. He looked down (literally) and saw a man with the theater staff clothing, pointing vigorously at the three Konoha shinobi. "What you want?" Naruto called down.

"You know damn well what I want!" The man shouted. "You're freeloading! Sneaking in without paying! Now get down so I can throw you out!"

Naruto sighed in annoyance. While they could have snuck in easily enough, he wasn't in the mood to deal with some grumpy man when they were at the best part of the movie. He muttered a quick 'I'll handle this' to his two teammates as he released his charka and dropped down to the floor, landing easily. He then brought up his ticket so the man had a clear view of it. "We have tickets." Naruto said flatly. "We were just doing some training while enjoying the show. Two birds with one stone and all that."

"Training?" The man repeated, confused. His eyes settled on the ticket, then slowly worked their way up to Naruto's forehead, ignoring the fact that Naruto's left eye was firmly closed, where Naruto's leaf hitai-ite was securely tighten. "You're shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato?"

"Got that right!" Naruto said cheerfully, a little too loudly. "I'm the super ninja who's gonna be Hokage someday! Uzumaki Naruto-sama! That's me!"

Of course, this just provoked the rest of the audience that he 'obnoxious brat,' was far too loud and they began throwing items at him.

Sasuke closed his eyes in annoyance, where the three scars covering his right could be clearly seen. "Think if we pretend not to know him, we won't be associated with him?" Sasuke asked softly to Sakura as they both watched Naruto comically dodge the snacks, drinks and whatever else the audience could throw at him, while making faces back at them (though the poor employee took a fair amount).

"Hey you brats!" The employee cried, pointing up at them. "Get your asses down here!"

"Doesn't look that way." Sakura answered.

As for the movie, Sky Princess Gale was pointing in the direction of the rainbow in the sky. "Let us go." She said happily. "Beyond that rainbow."

* * *

(**Author's note**) Well, there you have it, the first chapter on my attempt to Tellemicus' challenge. It was a bit short, but it seemed perfect to duplicate the movie's opening like this before getting to the main storyline. Also, a short chapter was easier to work with since I was trying my best to mimic Tellemicus' writing style and format. A test drive, if you will. And – depending on the reviews and responses – show me what mistakes were made, what was right and so on so I can correct them now for the rest of the story. 

Got a couple of goals for this story. One is to meet Tellemicus' standards he set in his source stories: Legacy of the Rasengan and Legacy of the Rasengan II: Makaze Rekidaishi. Specifically, his fight scenes and the quality of jutsu that he creates, since I plan on giving Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke at least one new technique each in this story. I also want to try and resolve a few issues at the end of Legacy of the Rasengan that I felt were just left hanging.

I placed this story within the two week period before Naruto left for his training with Jiraiya because I felt that this would be a great 'last mission' for Team 7 before they all split up. Heh…maybe if I do a good enough job, Tellemicus will consider making this canon in his own stories. Hey…a fan can dream, right?

About the names of the movie characters, Gale, Burikinto, Shishimaru and Sukeakuro (specifically the last three), I looked at about four different sources, Wikipedia, Fansubs of the Movie, a fansub Animanga and the English DVD, and each one had the names spelled differently, so I just went with the English DVD (which has been my foremost source for this fic) and went with the spellings that appeared in the subtitles.

**Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu--**_Wind Blade Blast Pressure_//The "name" of the technique used by Princess Gale in the movie. Gale draws her charka around the blade, where it rebounds on itself and shoots out at an opponent, causing a large impact that could easily break apart objects, such as suits of armor. Despite having wind in its name, the technique does not use wind charka, thus making it most similar to the Hyuuga's Hakke: Kusho no Jutsu--Empty Palm. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Gale)

**En'en Nijiiro Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu--**_Blazing Rainbow Colored Wind Blade Blast Pressure//_The "name" of the second technique used by Princess Gale, with the help of Burikinto, Shishimaru and Sukeakuro. The principals of this technique are exactly the same as the Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu. The key difference is that Gale is drawing on all four's collective pool of charka and mixing it with her own Rainbow Charka, Gale is able to launch an attack _at least_ four times as powerful as her standard Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu. Only possible with the aid of her friends, as Gale would be unable to reproduce this move on her own. (Low A-Class Ninjutsu) (Gale, Burikinto, Shishimaru and Sukeakuro)

On a side note: the only reason 'movie' techniques were given a name and description was because Naruto felt inspired by them and plans to 'improve' on them, so I created a base for him to work off of.

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemcius created that are used in this story belongs to him._


	2. The Actress of Princess Gale

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 2–The Actress of Princess Gale_

(**Author's Note**) Well…I would call the first chapter a success. It received more reviews, stats, etc then my first chapter on my own fic, Quest to be the Greatest, when it got posted. I must say that if the biggest problems I have are spelling (ie I spelled Legacy as Leagcy and chakra as charka. Oops. Though for some reason, I couldn't help but laugh hard when I realized those amateurish mistakes) then I think I just might be able to pull this off.

**Naruto**

It was a fair day, with few clouds in the sky, a nice, gentle breeze in the air and the sun was bright, but not too bright. It suited the needs of Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke – who were waiting outside of the movie theater – quite adequately as they waited for their ever truant sensei. It was strangely quieter than one would have expected. Naruto was crouching in front of the movie, with a very satisfied look on his face as he continued to look at the promotional poster for the movie. He didn't dare say anything of his thoughts outloud, but it was clear that he was both thinking and praising the movie as he continued to look on the poster.

Sasuke wasn't talking at all, not that that was any surprise. He merely glanced at his two teammates from time to time, as if waiting for someone to explode. Though, curiously, his glances landed more on Sakura than they did Naruto.

Sakura was the most talkative one. She kept rambling on and on about how 'cool and cute Michy-kun!' was (A/N: Michy is the one that played Sukeakuro). Most of the time, she was simply staring off into space, not looking at either of her teammates and lost in her own little dreamworld.

It had been a week since Sasuke and Naruto had been released from the hospital and this mission was the first time that all members of Team 7 had gotten together: Sakura had been spending most of her time in Tsuande's CLS classes, working and studying vigorously, though neither of her two teammates knew about that. Naruto had spent the time with Iruka at the Ichiraku Ramen shop, or locked in his apartment working on his jutsu scrolls (though, he did spare a little time when Konohamaru came over and the two of them 'decorated' Sasuke's apartment as part of their 'welcome back, teme' plan).

After the little 'show' in the movie between Naruto and the employee, all three genin had found themselves kicked out of the movie for being 'unruly and disrespectful for the other people', where in reality, the employee chucked them out more out of sheer annoyance because of all the trash and leftovers that he had been unable to dodge and wanted some form of revenge on the three that he labeled as the source of his condition. So, all three members of Team 7 had been forced to leave an hour before the movie ended. Due to the complaining that Sakura and Naruto expressed – as well as the irritation of Sasuke – a silent, but unanimous decision was made thirty seconds later.

They snuck back in.

It was easier than they thought it would be. A simple genjutsu, provided by Sakura, was more than enough to distract all the people in the lobby area. Naruto also used the opportunity to get his own form of revenge on the employee, who never figured out how his underwear suddenly appeared on the outside of his pants. They made it back to the theater room without incident. Sakura henged herself into someone else and took an empty seat, while Naruto took to the ceiling again, choosing the back corner, where he wouldn't easily be seen and Sasuke simply sat in the back row, where no one noticed or cared.

After the movie ended, they found themselves waiting in a construction site, just outside the movie theater and the place Kakashi told them to meet, which he was now two hours late. Naruto's eye wondered to his two teammates. Sakura was still ranting about Michy, while Sasuke was sitting on some large pipes. To Naruto's surprise, Sasuke spoke up. "So, either of you knew what mission this is?" To question was directed at both, but Naruto saw that Sasuke was looking directly at Sakura. That was a surprise. Usually it was the other way around. Did something happen between those two?

Sakura responded by shrugging, not turning around to look at him. "No," She added. "Kakashi-sensei just told us to watch the movie and meet him here." She then perked up a little. "Wasn't Michy so hot when he…" Both boys toned her out as she started up her tirade again. Naruto went back to his own thoughts, replaying the Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu and En'en Nijiiro Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu again and again in his mind. He already had a plan on how to recreate the Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu. Of course, he wouldn't be able to recreate the En'en Nijiiro Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu. Not without the Rainbow Chakra, but that was just fiction anyway.

Naturally, he didn't dare practice or write down any notes in front of Sakura and Sasuke. He could still remember clearly when Sakura had stolen his jutsu scrolls. Though he had forgiven her for the act, he wasn't about to forget, or take any chances. And Sasuke knew enough of his jutsu already and he didn't what to give Sasuke the opportunity to learn more. And don't even get Naruto started on baka-sensei!

With that thought, he returned to analyzing the two techniques and wondering just when he would get a chance to practice.

**

* * *

Sasuke**

Sasuke went back to his silent mood, resisting that damned urge again. He had hoped that Naruto, being the loudmouth that he usually was, would keep talking about the movie and give him an ample distraction from his thoughts. Anything to get his mind off of that incident. It was so much easier to argue with the dirty haired blond and forget about the rest of the world, but Naruto seemed content with being quiet. No doubt thinking of more jutsu to create.

Sasuke gave a mental sigh as he reluctantly let his mind drift back.

_--Flashback Two days ago--_

Sasuke was jumping from building to building, trying to locate his female teammate.

Ever since he had been released from the hospital, he hadn't seen Sakura at all. Since the time at Ichiraku, where Sasuke agreed to help her with her first genjutsu, she had stopped following him every step of his life like she did when she had been a fangirl. They would still constantly cross paths, but nothing like the relentless stalking and pursuing as she had once did.

At first, he didn't notice. He merely went about his days as he normally did, minus ignoring the suspicious glares from most of the populous, but after three days and no sight of his second shadow anywhere, he began wondering what was happening. He didn't know why it bothered him. Possibly because of her recent status of Best Friend, or he simply liked things to be predictable. Regardless, it came to point where he had to know what was going on and with that, he took off looking for Sakura. He shook his head at that thought. _Must be a first._ He thought to himself.

He had thought it would have been an easy task. After all, Sakura wasn't an enigma like Naruto. After an hour into his search, he found out an obvious, yet still surprising revelation: he didn't much about Sakura's personal life. He didn't even know where she lived. As a result, the next few hours were spent trying to talk to people for information. He was very careful with his questions, as he could imagine all the types of gossip and rumors that would spread if it was discovered that Uchiha Sasuke was looking for a girl. As such, he always made sure to ask about his teammates and never mentioning any specific names.

Due to the fact that it had only been about a week since he returned to Konoha, he was still viewed with traitorous glances from the majority of Konoha, making it very hard to get the information he sought. The other Genin teams, Team 8, Team 10 and Team Gai were all out on missions, so they couldn't help him. In the end, his primary source of information had come from none other than Iruka. The man didn't give him any grief like so many of the other villagers did and he seemed to know exactly what Sasuke was looking for, despite all of Sasuke's half-assed answers. Sasuke supposed it was to the man's character, given his relationship with Naruto, but Iruka gave Sasuke everything he needed, especially that address if all else failed.

He spent all of yesterday and most of today looking through the places that Sakura often hung out at: Konoha's library, the park, the Yamanaka Flower shop and other such places. Nothing. Several times, he thought he saw her. But every time he got close, he found nothing. He also noticed that every time that happened, he felt a strong smell of Cherry Blossoms blooming. So that's how he ended up at Sakura's house, at 7 pm at night.

He sighed mentally as he walked up and softly knocked on the door. A few minutes later, an older woman came out, obviously Sakura's mother.

"Yes?" She asked softly, but there was still a cautious tone in her voice.

"Is Sakura here?" Sasuke asked bluntly.

Mrs. Haruno continued to look at Sasuke before saying. "One moment." She then closed the door, leaving Sasuke on the doorstep. He tapped his foot impatiently, and thinking just what Sakura's reason could be. Maybe now was the time for that apology. Or maybe he was just going crazy.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Sakura appeared. "Did you use me?"

Sasuke was taken back a little, confused. Where did that come from? He hadn't even said anything yet! Not knowing how else to respond, he blurted out. "Huh?" Mistake Number One.

"Did you use me?" Sakura repeated, looking him strait in the eyes. Her voice had no anger or sorrow in it. It was like she was staging a normal conversation about training, yet the force behind her words hit Sasuke dead on. "Just so you could go and gain control of that seal, as well as fighting Naruto, did you just use me as a means to an end to achieve those things?"

"…well…yes…" Mistake Number Two.

For several moments, neither one said anything as they simply looked at each other. Mistake Number Three.

The next thing Sasuke knew, he was on his butt on the ground, with his left hand touching the side of his left cheek.

Sakura had just punched him. Hard.

Sakura?

Punched Sasuke?

_SAKURA!?_

Sakura then stepped back into her house and slammed the door.

_--End of flashback--_

Sasuke mentally winced at the memory and once again, resisted the damn urge to rub his left cheek. If it had been anyone else, he would have shrugged off the punch. It hadn't even been that hard. Had that type of punch come from Ino, Shikamaru or even Kiba, he wouldn't have even flinched, let alone fall down on his ass. But the sheer shock and surprise from Sakura punching him was what really made the impact.

Of course, Sakura's recent actions to him after that incident only confused him more. Ever since this mission began, she hadn't spoken to him, looked at him or anything. Yet at the same time, she didn't yell at him or even glare at him. She simply went along her normal life. Several times, Sasuke had talked to her, trying to start a conversation which eventually lead to that incident and would tell him what she wanted. Every time though, she simply responded with the most practical answer. Usually a yes or no response with a few other words but that was it, like the time in the theater.

She hadn't even used his name.

The frustration it was causing Sasuke was enough to want him to rip his hair out. He retracted his previous statement of 'Sakura wasn't an enigma like Naruto'. She was an enigma completely on her own! With Naruto, it was easy. You piss him off and he yells out you, but at least he tells you _why_ you pissed him off. Sakura was entirely different. She was both ignoring him and interacting with him! She didn't act angry, but she wasn't acting normally either! She wasn't giving him any clue at what her intentions were! He didn't know what was going on in his teammate's head, but it was driving him crazy!

Sasuke was about to comment about the movie's boring plot, just to antagonize Naruto when the sound of a horse running stopped him. As one, all three members of Team 7 looked towards the wall underneath the promotional billboard as grey horse jumped over the fence, and its rider was none other than Princess Gale!

**

* * *

Naruto**

_Princess Gale?!_ Naruto thought to himself in complete awe. He couldn't help but feel surprised at the sight. After all, how often did the Sky Princess herself come at you all of the sudden while riding a horse? Of course, in the span of two seconds, part of reality came back to Naruto, where he had to remind himself that Princess Gale was the movie character. The woman who was riding the stallion was the actress that played the Sky Princess.

Fujikaze Yukie.

She was dressed in her princess costume and had a very determined look on her face. What that was all about, not one of team 7 had any clue, or what her intentions were. Her horse landed right in the middle of the group and before anyone could say anything, she took off again.

Sakura recovered first. "T-the…Sky Princess? Here? No way!"

The gate on the wall burst open and all three were forced to jump back to avoid the violently opened gate. Bursting through were about eight men, all in that samurai armor from the movie! After nearly trampling the three genin, they rode off after Yukie, shouting statements like 'After her!', and 'Don't let her get away!'. They rode down the alley that Yukie had used and disappeared.

Without a word, the three Konoha nin took off.

At another part of town, Yukie continued to ride hard from her pursuers, casually glancing back and throwing a glare their way. Why couldn't they just leave her alone!? She turned her attention back to riding, as she crashed through several crates of fruits and vegetables. She didn't let that stop her though, even when the stand's tarp on her. Glancing back again, she saw that the men were catching up, so she grabbed as much of the tarp as she could and tossed it back at the men. Unfortunately, it opened up halfway through and fell to the ground seconds before the first horseman would had ran into it.

Cursing under her breathe again, she continued to ride throughout the city, turning at random. She didn't have any plan, no place that she was trying to run to. She just wanted to get away from all of this! Quickly taking another left, she rode down that alley as she saw the men slowly but surely catching up to her despite all of her best efforts.

She gritted her teeth as she turned her attention back to the front, where one of the horseman appeared in front of her! _He must have taken another route to cut me off!_ Yukie thought miserably as she pulled back the reigns to stop her horse. The horse kicked back and neighed loudly as the front horseman confidently strode towards her, with the others mere seconds behind her. One of which took out a net and threw at it her.

Seconds before it enveloped her, several small metal stars went flying by her and slashed the net to ribbons. She could hear the collective gasp from the men behind her. Curious, she turned around and looked at the source of the one that had thrown the shuriken. When she saw it, her own jaw dropped in surprise.

It was the 'soldier' in front of her!

She vaguely wondered if she was hallucinating. She shook her head a few times to try and clear it. She looked at the man in front of her again. He was slowly coming towards her, and looking at her strait in the eyes, even though the mask was still on. He then pointed off to the side. His actions and intentions clear.

"What the hell are you doing, dumbass!?" Several of the others shouted.

The man merely responded by furiously jabbing the air again. Yukie regrabbed her reigns and rode off in the direction the man had pointed. He then rode up to his companions erupted in a clone of smoke.

Revealing a small boy in orange riding atop of a large frog.

Naruto smirked at the astonished looks of the group of pursers. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Yukie rode away.

"What happened to Han?!" Several of the men exclaimed at Naruto.

Naruto shifted on his position atop of Gamayoyaku so that he was looking towards the group again. "You mean that guy that you sent ahead? He's taking a little nap." The said person was actually tied up and stuffed in a trash can, where he would be found in an hour or two. Though he would probably want to shower a couple dozen times.

The men all snarled. One came forward a bit, obviously the leader of the group. "Get out of our way, brat!"

"Sorry." Naruto replied. "It's not my style to just sit out on something like this." He then let himself grin at what he was going to say next. "Besides…I need some guinea pigs."

Of course, this only enraged the men as they all charged him. Naruto felt his grin become a smile as he said. "Ok, Gamayoyaku…do your stuff!"

The frog merely nodded as a reply. It jerked its head back as if inhaling something large. It then thrusted its head forward and blew out a large amount of yellowish slime. It covered all seven of the men and horses instantly, all of which began grossing out.

"What the hell is this stuff!?" One cried. He instantly tried to get off his horse, only to find himself stuck. The horse itself then neighed loudly, as it tried to move forward, but it couldn't manage a single step.

"It's called Gama Suramiu," Naruto answered happily, tapping Gamayoyaku on the head. "For all intends and purposes: it's glue. Very strong glue, but glue nonetheless." Naruto hadn't had a lot of experience summoning the frogs and using them, unlike ero-sannin. So, he had used to opportunity to get a little practice with summoning and what the frogs could do, hence the reason for the guinea pigs.

"GLUE!?" All the outraged men repeated as they continued struggling. One managed to move forward a little bit, only to lose his balance and come crashing down, bringing down the others in a domino effect. Struck in all sorts of awkward and uncomfortable positions, they all roared. "GET US OUT OF THIS!!!"

"Don't worry." Naurto said lightly. "It'll dissolve in a few hours…I think." He looked down at the frog, which merely shrugged in return. "Oh well." Naruto said dismissively. "I'm sure it'll dissolve _eventually."_ Thinking of the old pervert got Naruto remembering something else that old man had said, when he had been learning the Doryuuheki.

"_And, for future reference," he said, continuing his lecture, even as Naruto began flashing through the handseals. "The same can be done with Suiton jutsus. It just depends on the handseals used."_

Hmm…Naruto thought to himself. That meant he could potentially do the Gama Suramiu himself, since it was technically of the Suiton class. He instantly pictured himself hiding in Sasuke's room, spitting out the 'glue' on him and watching his reactions. Now that would be fun to do on the teme! He then wondered what other sort of cool jutsu the frogs could do. Even if Naruto couldn't do some of them himself, he could always make a 'Naruto version'. With that thought, Naruto tapped Gamayoyaku on the head again, more fondly this time. "Gamayoyaku…I have a feeling that this is going to be a long and beautiful friendship!"

Gamayoyaku croacked in response.

"GET THIS SHIT OFF OF US!!!"

* * *

In another part of town, Asama Sandayuu was leading another group of six 'samurai' after Yukie down a flight of stairs. Two of the closest men pulled out a glass orb each. It was filled with oil. They simultaneously threw the two class orbs at Yukie's horse. They shattered right at its feet, causing it to fall and trip. Yukie herself was thrown of the horse and went skidding across the ground. 

Sandayuu pointed at the fallen actress and yelled, "Now!" Immediately, all six of the men jumped off their horses. Before they got close to Yukie, she vanished in a puff of smoke.

Sandayuu's jaw dropped in surprise as the men came to a halt, everyone looking around. "Where is she?!" He demanded. No one offered any sort of explanation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the horse itself vanish in that same puff of smoke. Sandayuu shook his head in sheer annoyance. This was unacceptable! They had to find her and get her to go to the Snow Country! It was extremely vital to the plan and his mission! This day was just getting worse and…

Now that he thought about it, this day was turning out sweet. Even pleasant. He looked around and saw cherry blossoms floating around all over the place, giving off a strong and wondrous sweet smell. Dozens of them, if not hundreds. Strange, they're weren't any Cherry Blossom trees in the city. The more he thought about it, the less important it seemed. They were just a few flowers floating around. He glanced at his companions, and noticed that they were all standing still, most likely smelling the sweet flowers themselves. He simple took a few more deep breaths, allowing more of the flower's beautiful fragrance filled him, not giving him a care in the world. He let out a satisfied moan.

The next thing he knew, his world went black.

**

* * *

Sasuke**

Sasuke looked at the man with the long hair, bread and glasses as he fell to the ground unconscious, due to the chop to the neck Sasuke had just given him. He quickly moved to the other men and knocked them out as well.

The plan had worked out perfectly. Sasuke's two Kage Bunshin had planned the part of the decoy, henged as their target and horse, perfectly luring the reminder of the samurai and the man in the glasses into one central spot. Then Sakura's new genjutsu, Aikurushii Sakura, took effect rather easily. Not surprising, really. These men weren't shinobi afterall. Then had little, if any, experience with genjutsu.

Sakura then appeared from around the corner. Sasuke nodded in her direction. "That was flawless, Sakura."

"Thanks," Sakura said evenly. She then looked at the unconscious men. "We better tie them up."

"Hai," Sasuke replied and they set off to work.

**

* * *

Naruto**

"So, what's it like being the Sky Princess?" Naruto asked the actress as he walked up to her, slightly startling her. She was resting at the edge of a lake, where her horse was drinking quietly and greedily. Her hair no longer in that ponytail, but flowing long and free. "It's still a little hard to believe that I'm seeing you in person. I just saw your movie too. It was great."

After his capture of the samurai, it had been easy enough to sniff her out and track her down. He knew Sakura and the teme would capture the second group easily enough, so he had no worries about being interrupted as he asked his questions. Yukie gave him a hard look, and Naruto wondered just what her problem was. He considered several possibilities, but he didn't know anything about her personally, so he wasn't sure just what was going through her head.

"I'm _not_ the Sky Princess," Yukie told him harshly, turning her eyes back to the lake.

"I know you're not. I said: 'What's it like being the Sky Princess?' not 'Are you ok, Sky Princess.'" Naruto replied, no longer sounding friendly himself. He had little tolerance for people who felt that their own troubles were the biggest thing in the world and he was certainly getting that impression from her. She made no response to his statement, so he asked bluntly. "Why were those men chasing you?"

Again she made no response, just sitting and staring at the lake. Naruto was about to repeat his question when Yukie suddenly jumped up, grabbed the reigns on her horse and took off. Naruto shook his head at the sight.

Yukie looked back, to see that the blond rodent was nowhere in sight. She felt relieved that one less headache was out of the way. She rode for a few minutes then looked back again to see if the blond brat was trying to catch her. What she saw shocked her. He was calmly sitting right behind her, looking bored and annoyed at the sametime. How did he get there!? When did he get there!? "Lady, do you really think you can escape a Konoha shinobi that easily?" He asked, looking strait into her eyes with his own.

Yukie reacted on instinctively, grabbing her horse swatter and jerking it towards Naruto's blind side. Naruto saw it at the last second, and barely managed to avoid it hitting his good eye. He had to start learning how to work with just one useable eye, otherwise he was going to have some serious problems in the future. "WATCH IT!! I ONLY HAVE _ONE _OF THOSE!!"

Yukie made no indication that she was paying attention to him. Naruto watched her raise her free hand to her earring and gave it a soft squeeze. A small pepper spray blasted out and hit Naruto directly in the eye. He gave a cry, more of surprise then anything else and tumbled off the back of the horse, though still managing to fall gracefully.

Naruto picked himself up and grumbled under his breath. How could he let someone like her get him off guard like that!? "Fine! I haven't got to use this jutsu for awhile anyway!" Since his first match with Kiba, to be exact. He formed the necessary seals and shouted. "Fuuton: Kaze Wana no Jutsu!"

Instantly, ridiculously powerful winds formed, sucking nearly everything towards Naruto. He saw the horse get caught in the wind itself, with a very surprised look on Yukie's face herself as she tried to keep on her horse. But, to Naruto's surprise, the horse itself continued moving _away_ from him! Naruto clenched his teeth and focused a little harder. That in turn, just seemed to motivate the horse to try harder to get away.

After a few minutes of touch and go, the horse won. It managed to get to a small trot and then a few moments later, off into a full run until it and its rider were out of sight.

"Kuso!" Naruto yelled, stomping his foot hard on the ground in frustration. What the hell happened!? Why didn't it work!? It worked perfectly on Kiba and Akamaru! After a few more minutes of mental ranting, he calmed himself down and thought of the problem.

The answer came almost immediately. Kiba and Akamaru had been going _strait_ _towards_ him, and that momentum only served to help the Kaze Wana pull them into his grasp. This time, the horse was going _away_ from him. Plus, it had been a fair distance, at least 20 meters away, if not more, so it hadn't been nearly as affected by the winds as Kiba and Akamaru had. Plus, horses were strong and fit animals. Of course, it would require more than normal to pull them in, in comparison to a human, or even a dog. Still, Naruto felt that if the horse had been only half that distance, he could had sucked it in. Or at the very least, pull Yukie herself off.

He was no longer in a good mood. Both the horse and the actress had gotten the better of him! He mentally vowed not to tell Sasuke and Sakura about this part of the encounter. He could easily imagine Sasuke's mocking sneer at the thought of being outfoxed by some movie actress.

After another chain of swear words, Naruto bent down on all fours and took a couple of deep sniffs. Perfect. Her scent was still strong, even with the stupid pepper spray lingering in the air. With a mental note to update his Kaze Wana entry with the results of this encounter, he leapt off after her, with two new conclusions in his mind.

He hated horses.

And Yukie was definitely _not_ the person she played on screen.

**

* * *

Sasuke**

It had only taken a few minutes to securely tie up the men, but it had taken several more to strip the other six men of several pieces of their armor. He was currently finishing up on the glasses man, Asama Sandayuu, where Sakura was working on the last one of the samurai stuntmen.

"Aryarya. What are you guys doing?"

Both Sakura and Sasuke recognized the voice instantly. Together, they both looked at the person who had said those words.

Hatake Kakashi. The Copycat of Konoha.

Sasuke finished with the man, and turned to his sensei. "Killing time." He said lazily, clapping his hands together.

Kakashi vanished. He then reappeared right next to Sandayuu, and all the rope bonds that had been on the men fell off, cut clean throw. The Jounin then offered a hand to the other man. "Gomen." He said quickly as he helped the other man to his feet.

"Huh?" Sakura asked bewildered, while Sasuke merely stared at the other man, waiting for an exclaimation.

Kakashi gave his 'smiling eye' as he gestured lazily to Sandayuu. "This gentleman here is the one who requested our services…assuming he still wants them after being knocked out and tied up by you."

"No harm done," Sandayuu insisted, brushing himself off and giving Sakura and Sasuke a smile. "I'm actually impressed. We were caught completely off guard by these two. Most efficient. Better even that what was said by your Hokage, which was quite praiseworthy. I must confess I had a small doubt on whether or not Genin were suited for this mission. I'm glad to say that your little act has completely erased my doubts." He then offered Sasuke a hand. "Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Asama Sandayuu. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke muttered casually, taking the hand and shaking it. The older man's grip was surprising strong.

"A pleasure," Sandayuu said again. He let go and looked at Sakura. "Ah, and you young lady?" He asked, offering his hand to her now.

"Haruno Sakura." Sakura said in a slightly embarrassed voice. "Gomen about…"

"Think nothing of it." Sandayuu insisted. He then bent down and gave a small kiss on the back of Sakura's hand, to which Sasuke visibly flinched at for some odd reason. "One as pretty as you has no need to apologize," Sandayuu added, withdrawing.

Sakura positively beamed at that, while Sasuke had a sudden fixation with his right sandal as that damn urge had returned.

"By the way," Sandayuu said, now speaking to all three of the Konoha nin. "Which one of you caught the other group? I imagine that they're all still stuck with that goo."

Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke all knew immediately who was responsible.

**

* * *

Naruto**

Naruto was racing from rooftop to rooftop back in the city, trying to find where Yukie had run off to. Her scent told him that she was close, so he was carefully scanning the crowds as quickly as he could.

He found her a little while later, in the middle of a small group of children. Each of them had to be only around 7 or 8, and all were holding up paper and a pen and chanting 'autograph.' Naruto couldn't help but smile at the sight. Had it been even ten minutes earlier, he himself might had just gone over and joined them in asking for an autograph.

"No autographs!" Shouted Yukie. All the children stopped immediately, deathly silent. Even all of the onlookers and those just passing by stopped and looked at Yukie. "What's so special about my autograph? If I give it to you, it will just end up gathering dust! What could be more worthless or useless?! It's just stupid."

With that, she took off running down the street, leaving the kids behind, one of which looked ready to cry. Already the people around were chatting about what just happened, none of them impressed with her anymore. "She just went from popular to bitchy," One commented out loud. With a murmur of agreement, the crowd readily agreed and all slowly started dispersing.

Naruto himself clutched a fist as hard as he could, faint trance amounts of blood appearing. His face completely avoid of any emotion involving happiness, joy or excitement. He took another brief look at the children, their parents already gathering them up and trying to comfort them, that one actually crying softly now. Silently, he took off after Yukie again.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) And so ends the second chapter, with Yukie's true character being revealed for many to see, especially Naruto. 

As I said in the previous chapter, one of my goals in this story was to resolve some issues at the end of Part 1 that I felt were left hanging. While many of those were small and could be written of as unnecessary or irrelevant, there was one that I felt couldn't be.

Sakura and Sasuke's interaction. Or lack of thereof.

Here's the drill: when Sasuke was 'returned' to Konoha, Sakura heard him confess that he had no real intention of betraying Konoha and joining Sound. She immediately realized that Sasuke had just _used her_ to achieve his two goals: gaining control of the Curse Seal and fighting Naruto. Given what Sakura had confessed to Sasuke earlier (aka, her true feelings and that she 'loved him with all her heart') and how passionate and sincere she was, it was naturally understandable that she felt angry and embarrassed when she learned this. Even Sasuke himself later realized that he maybe should apologize.

But that's all. And frankly, it didn't seem enough.

Why? Because there was never a scene, flashback, or anything on how the two talked this out, or even if they attempted to talk this out (I know. I went back and reread those sections at least five times) and given the nature of what it is, it seemed to me that it should had been touched on, given how hurt and angry Sakura felt by this and a critical moment for the two, for better or worse. Was she truly understanding of Sasuke? Did she not understand? Did she not speak with him for a week? Did she punch him? Did she forgive him? Did Sasuke ever attempt his apology? Did Sasuke even try to justify his actions so that she would understand? We get those two small hints, but then we go and skip a week, where Sakura was taking the CLS classes and then another week to the Second Bell test, and by that time, Sakura and Sasuke are apparently on good terms with each other, so any possible interaction, justification, etc, had apparently already been resolved. I found myself somewhat dissatisfied with this, because that critical moment apparently did not happen.

So, I decided to write that moment and expand on it in this story. I first went through and reread ALL of Part 1, focusing heavily the Sakura parts, which were quite understandably few, to try and get the view of her character and how she would react to all this. Given what little specifics we got at the end, that meant that I had plenty of room to be flexible on Sakura's stance. As well as how Sasuke would act during the following days.

Jutsu used in this chapter.

**Gama Suraimu**--_Toad Slime//_ Not limited to Gamayoyaku, as all Frog summons can do this jutsu. The frog uses chakra to convert the natural juices in its throat into the slime and it expels a large amount from their gullet to cover the target, or targets. The slime is incredibly sticky and once it's exposed to the atmosphere, it hardens in about ten seconds, making it quite difficult to get out of all. Though, it really will dissolve naturally in a few hours. However, water will dissolve the slime and wash it away easily and completely. In addition, a _skilled_ fire user could potentially burn the slime away. Doing so carries the risk of burning yourself before all the slime is burned off. (upper D-Class Ninjutsu)

**Aikurushii Sakura**--_Sweet Cherry Blossoms// _A demi-version of the Haruno Sakura genjutsu. Sakura mainly created this genjutsu for situations where speed is essential, as it only requires seven seals as opposed to the twenty of the Haruno Sakura. It affects the victim's sight and smell. The victim is surrounded by hundreds of Cherry Blossom flowers floating in the air, all giving off an intense, but wonderful smell of the flowers. The smell is more apparent than even in the Haruno Sakura, which allows it to overwhelm the opponent. The longer the Aikurushii Sakura is active, the more overwhelming the smell is. However, the Aikurushii Sakura does not reproduce the calming affect, which means that observant targets can recognize the genjutsu more easily and dispel it. Like its predecessor, it requires a high level of chakra control, but not nearly as much as the Haruno Sakura. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Sakura)

**Fuuton: Kaze Wana no Jutsu**--Air Release: Wind Trap// The exact opposite of the Kaze Tate (Wind Shield). It sucks objects into its vortex, centered around the person who activated it. The spinning motion of the user increases the suction power surprisingly. The only weak point of the jutsu is from the top or bottom of user's spinning body, the eye of the storm. A quick-thinking shinobi could counterattack once inside this vortex. If used correctly, it can disorient an opponent and leave them open to a secondary attack if the jutsu is released before reaching the center. Also, if the user is skilled enough he/she can use the person's approaching body as a punching bag with little fear of retaliation. (upper C-Class Ninjutsu). Original technique created by Tellemicus Sundance

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemcius created that are used in this story belongs to him._


	3. Journey to Snow Begins!

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 3–Journey to Snow Begins!_

(**Author's Note**)Wow…I got this chapter out quickly. Muck faster than I ever expected. I can't promise that future chapters will be this quick, but I'll try.

(**Author's Note 2**) I must say that I'm completely overwhelmed and amazed at the response from the last chapter, in no small part to Tellemicus's advertisement in Makaze Rekidaishi I'll bet. I've only been doing fanfiction since the start of this year and I've never had such a large and positive response before. For someone like me, that's highly epic and encouraging. At the time of this posting, I went from 4 to 26 reviews, 13 C2s, 36 people have this story on their favorites list, with 48 having it on their alerts list, with 1852 hits.

Seeing such figures and receiving such high praise in the reviews actually made me quite a bit nervous about posting Chapter 3 here. I've never had so many high expectations, so now I'm wondering if I'll be able to live up to them.

So, allow me to thank all those that reviewed and showed their support properly. A big thank you! Especially you, Tellemicus Sundance!

And that's enough of my ranting. On with the Chapter!

**Sasuke**

"Our mission is to guard Fujikaze Yukie. The actress best known for her role as Princess Gale." Kakashi said simply.

After all the introductions were complete back in the city, the entire group made their way back to the movie studio. They didn't bother to go look for Naruto, as the hyperactive blond usually found them anyway, in no small part to that heighten sense of smell that rivaled the Inuzuka clan. Like one would expect of a studio, it was quite active. People in costumes were looking at the scripts and practicing their lines, crewmen were moving the sets and scenery around. Nearly everyone was talking and all were going about their business. The director, Makino, had set them up some chairs while Kakashi was finally disclosing the nature of the mission to his two subordinates.

"Guard?" Sasuke repeated. Sakura was sitting on his left, while Kakashi stood by Sakura. Across from Sasuke were three men, including Makino and Sandayuu. The third man was considerably younger than the previous two and had bright orange hair underneath his blue cap with a small goatee. His name was Kaijo, the assistant director. From what Sasuke could tell, Kaijo and Makino were complete opposites. Movies were Makino's first, second, third and even fourth thoughts. It was all he talked about, but it was clear had a genuine passion for this business. His one main fault was that he had a nasty habit gaining inspiration and ideas out of nowhere and making drastic changes at the last minute.

Kaijo was a bit different. He has more of a slack nature, always wondering about the consequences, cost effects and other such maintenance. Kaijo also proceed a lot more cautiously, willing to take a wait and see approach, unlike Makino. Sasuke supposed that Makino was lucky to have someone like Kaijo as his second. Otherwise, Makino would probably never accomplish half the things he wanted.

"Well…maybe not so much as guard her so much as escort her." Kakashi corrected, glancing at the other three men. Sakura was fidgeting quite a bit, trying to content her excitement of being in a real live movie studio. She kept glancing around as if looking for someone specific. Every now and then, she glanced over at the collection of pictures on the wall.

Kaijo nervously tapped a rolled up script against his neck. "The next Princess Gale movie is the first one we're shooting abroad. And um…" He paused momentarily as he shot a look at Sandayuu, who Team 7 had learned was Yukie's personal assistant. "I don't need to tell you that our leading lady is a bit of a diva."

"Gomennasai," Sandayuu replied quickly, bowing his head.

Makino took out his pipe and blew out a small puff of smoke. "Still, I have to tell ya that the Konoha nin are impressive. They took care of those stuntmen turned bodyguards we hired like it was child's play. And those were some big fellows."

"Er…thanks," Kakashi said. "That's very kind of you."

Sasuke saw out of the corner of his eye that Sakura had turned her attention back to the collection of photos on the wall, and was currently looking at some glacier one. "Oh wow. Those are some cliffs," Sakura said amazed.

"That's the Rainbow Glacier in the Snow Country" came a voice behind the two genin. Both Sakura and Sasuke turned to look at the two newcomers. Ken and Hidero. Ken had been the one that spoke.

Sakura immediately brighten up, which only caused Sasuke to rub his left cheek again. Halfway through the rub, he noticed, cursed himself and put his hand back down. "You're Ken! You played the part of Burikinto!"

"That's the location of the final scenes of the movie," Hidero added, who was holding a cup of coffee in his hand.

"You're Hidero! You play the part of Shishimaru!" Sakura exclaimed happily.

Sasuke snorted softly. "Snow Country? Long way to go just to shoot some scenes for a movie." He was slowly getting the urge to go and murder someone, and not because of the curse seal. Where was that idiot Naruto when he needed to pound something?

Kaijo pointed at Sandayuu. "Fujikaze's manager, Sandayuu-san recommended it. Apparently he tells us that this Rainbow Glacier glows seven different colors during the spring time."

"No, that's just an old legend." All eyes turned to Kakashi. "Truth is there is no spring in the Snow Country."

"What? Not ever?" Sasuke asked, slightly amazed. Sakura added. "Does that mean its winter all year long?"

Kakashi gave a small nod in their directions. "That's right."

"Kakashi, was it?" Director Makino spoke up this time. He paused for a minute, muttering under his breath 'I've heard that name recently…where…'. Though barely more than a whisper, the entire group heard him and they waited. Makino then shrugged to himself and continued. "I've heard that this won't be your first time in the Snow Country. Is that true?"

Sasuke looked at his sensei with a small amount of surprise. Kakashi had been to the Snow Country before? Thinking on it for a few moments, he guessed he shouldn't have been too surprised. This was the famous copy-nin. He had a vast reputation outside of Konoha as well. He could only imagination why Kakashi had been there. The Jounin, however, merely replied. "That was a long time ago."

"They say that Snow Country is a poor nation," came an unfamiliar voice. All eyes immediately turned to the newcomer. A big tall, handsome man with long hair. He gave the group a bright smile, which seemed to sparkle brightly at the group.

"Y-you play Sukeakuro! Michy-sama, you're so great!" Sakura said enthusiastically, blushing and small hearts in her eyes. At that sight, Sasuke no longer felt an urge to go murder someone. He was all for it and he just found his victim. After completing that thought, he gave a small groan of frustration. Where did that thought come from? What was wrong with him? Why should he care if Sakura was fawning over some stupid actor, who really wasn't that great anyway, now that Sasuke thought about it. Yeah, just some B ranked actor for a B class movie.

Michy continued, seemingly oblivious to Sasuke's newfound glare. "The story goes that the former Damiyo had a thing for gadgets. The guy squandered everything the clan had on mountains of useless doodads and gizmos."

Hidero chuckled softly at that. "Well, I just hope that they have central heating. I'm not really all that cut out for the cold."

"Maybe you should run for the hills too, just like Yukie-chan." Ken suggested, earning a small laugh from the other two actors, though Kaijo looked appalled at the very suggestion, which just made the three laugh a bit louder.

Sakura finally got off her little love trance and looked at all three of the actors. "So does that mean…Yukie-san? I mean…she's not always like this, is she?"

The three stopped laughing at that and glanced at each other, unsure of what to say. As if a silent message was sent between then, Michy looked back at Sakura with a sad smile on his face, "Yeah. A little." His face seemed to drop a little at that. "Poor Yukie-chan, she doesn't know the meaning of words like 'dream' or 'aspiration.' Though, it was only when Sandayuu-san mentioned we were going to the Snow Country that she started running."

"But she has never been one to neglect her work," Makino cut in, drawing everyone's attention. "I don't know anything about her personal life and I don't need to. As long as she's giving her all when the camera's rolling, I won't have any complaints. Say what you will, but that woman is a born actress." He took another puff at his pipe and blew out another long breath of smoke. "Reminds me of a scene on the beach in the last move." He moved his hands forward and began moving as if trying to grasp something. "She was so perfect in that scene. She said her lines beautifully, the actions were so real, filled with true passion and with the sound effects of crashing waves…THAT'S IT!!!" He shouted loudly, causing nearly everyone to jump back.

"What's it?" Kaijo asked nervously. "Another inspiration?"

Makino waved his hand dismissively, looking at the three Konoha nin. "I remember where I heard the name Kakashi recently. You were that one that defeated Momochi Zabuza in the Wave Country a few months ago, weren't you?" Without waiting for an answer, he looked at Sakura and Sasuke. "And you two were there too, weren't you?"

"Right," Ken said eagerly, tones of admiration now coming in. The others seemed to be nodding quite eagerly now. "I remember hearing about that now. That was intense. Who knew that Kirigakure's Demon of the Mist would actually fall."

"I heard how you," Hidero said, now looking directly at Sasuke. "And your other teammate managed to free your sensei from Zabuza himself with those crazy tactics. That's impressive, kid. More than many other shinobi could have said."

"It was nothing," Sasuke said, not sure what all the fuss was about.

"Nothing?" Surprisingly, it was Kaijo who spoke up. "Do you know just how many people – both shinobi and civilian alike – were killed by that guy? And not only did you all of you stand up to him, you defeated him and his little lackey!"

Sasuke was silent about that. Truth was…he hadn't considered it. He never really thought about it. Zabuza had just been a nukenin. An insanely powerful one, but just an opponent. Not to mention that Haku had bested him. He knew that Zabuza had a fierce reputation, just never really thought about just how big and influential that reputation was.

Sakura looked down a bit. "I didn't do anything on that mission…"

"You're kidding, right?" Michy asked. "I heard you stood your ground when Zabuza's mizu bushin came after the old man you were guarding. You pushed him out of the way and faced that thing alone with nothing but a kunai! That took guts. How could we _not _be amazed?"

Sakura blushed at that, not being able to speak, while Sasuke's damn urge returned.

**

* * *

Naruto**

Naruto spent the reminder of the time chasing after that bitchy actress. He wasn't sure why he was bothering, not after what he saw her do to those kids. But he had gotten himself involved and he wasn't about to back out now. No matter how awful that woman was turning out to be. Besides, he wanted to know who, or what, she was running from.

He spent his time following her, making sure to keep completely out of sight. She wasn't going to catch him off guard again. Afterall, someone who managed to sneak in the Hyuuga Compound to steal all their underwear (except Hinata-chan's, of course!) and not get caught wasn't going to be seen by some _actress._

As he scanned the crowds with his eye from his position on the rooftop, he had to admit that this Yukie was no amateur in losing herself in a crowd, or having methods to look behind her without actually looking. Naruto noted that her favorite method was to pull out a small makeup kit and use the mirror to look over her shoulder. A nice trick, but not good enough on someone like him. He followed her for about two hours, most of the time on rooftops. And some of the more closer up times disguised in a henge of some passerby. Twice, she had gone into a story and come out in a completely new outfit. The first time she had done that, Naruto almost missed it. But thanks to his nose, he found her almost immediately, even when his eye had been fooled.

He continued following her until she made a stop at the bar. Naruto followed her in, disguised in a new henge of some middle aged man. And sit down at a table, watching her. She went to the bar itself and sat on a stool and immediately placed a high order of sake. It was something he had noticed when traveling around with ero-sannin, during their search for Obaasan. When a person went to a bar, always watched how many drinks they took. One meant they were in a hurry, two meant it was come and go. They may stay, or they may not. Three meant that the person definitely had time to waste, but four was when you knew for sure that a person was dedicated and going to stay for a long while. No matter what came their way.

Naruto watched as she consumed one glass after another. Once she got her fourth down, Naruto felt that now was his chance. He went to the restroom and dropped his henge and then walked out again. No one noticed him and even if they had, they didn't care. His headband took care of all that. He walked over to Yukie and stated. "Are you tired of running, bitch?"

Yukie dropped her glass in pure shock. Slowly, she turned around and looked at Naruto. "You again…I thought I lost you."

"I told you already: do you really think that you can escape from a Konoha shinobi that easily?" Naruto demanded. Yukie didn't answer to that, she merely reached for a new glass and took another drink. "Why did you have to hurt those kids feelings like that? All they wanted was your stupid autograph. Is that really so hard to give!?"

"It was pointless and stupid," Yukie said, now looking at him. "It's one of those things where you get it, are happy with it for a few minutes and then completely forget about it." She then gave him a harder look. "Are you bothering me for one? Is that why you won't leave me alone?"

"There's no way that I would want your shitty autograph now, you bitch." Naruto said. "And don't bother writing up a fake one," He said as her hand and been moving towards a pen and paper. "I'm not falling for you stupid pepper spray again. I wouldn't even give you my name for…"

"…Uzumaki Naruto." Yukie supplied, her hand moving away from the two said items and back to her sake. "And it's pervert repellent, for perverts like you. Is that why you're following me, you peeping tom?"

Naruto was stunned and completely unable to speak, even to react to the pervert charge. What? How did she know that!? He never told her his name! And given how shocked she acted, she genuinely didn't know that he had been following her! There had only been a few times when he had felt this way. One had been when ero-sannin had demonstrated the Rasengan right in front of him. Another was he had learned that Sasuke had 'left' the village. How did she know!?

As if reading his thoughts, Yukie answered without looking at him. "Spiky blond hair. Black and orange. Loud mouth with every other word cussing. Your reputation precedes you." Then in a quieter voice. "Just like mine does."

Naruto couldn't help but ask. "My…reputation?" He said the word slowly, as if saying it for the first time and wanting to make sure he was pronouncing it right. He also noticed that lower tone of voice she had used with those last four words.

"You defeated the Suna's monster." Yukie said dryly, leaning back a bit. "The demon known as Shukaku, and its host Shitty no Gaara, or whatever the hell his name is. They say that you used an extremely forbidden kinjutsu and decimated an entire section of a forest. When you're a Konoha shinobi, it's obvious that such achievements are going to be heard throughout the entire country." She took another drink and laughed. "Some stupid and heartless bastard of a sand demon. Makes me wonder who the _real _monster was: Shukaku or Garra."

"DO NOT TALK ABOUT GAARA THAT WAY!!!_"_ Naruto roared, left eye snapping open. Small traces of youki were also started to leak out. Most of the people in the bar began backing away, though Yukie herself was either too drunk or too oblivious to notice Naruto's sudden change in demean. "I don't care if you are the Fire Country's Number 1 Actress! I'll kick your ass!!"

Yukie laughed at that. Laughter was the last thing Naruto was expecting. It grew louder and louder and definitely more bolder. "Number 1 Actress?" She asked in between laughs. She then began laughing louder and louder. "Very funny…" She said.

"WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT –"

"An actress is an awful job."

Naruto stopped again at that. Those around him noticed that those faint trances of youki were subsiding and Naruto's left eye firmly closed again. "Huh?" He asked. He was confused. What had she just said?

"Being an actress means that you're the low of the low," Yukie said, picking up her empty cup and waving it around. "It's the worst job anyone could do. A life filled with lies, followed by a script that someone else writes. Hehe. It's really stupid."

"Stupid?" Naruto asked. He never heard of an actor describe their job like that. And while she was a bitch, he had to admit that her acting was real and convincing. He had figured she was just a stuck up hag, completely engrossed in her own fame and fortune. Someone who cared solely about her career and thought she was above everyone else in the world. But this? She made it sounded like she had lived _his _life.

Before Yukie could respond, the door burst open and several people came running in, nearly trampling a guy that had been trying to leave. Naruto saw Sakura, the teme and baka-sensei with some older man with a beard and glasses. "Yukie-sama!" He said in a hurried voice, and trying to catch his breath. "The ship is departing for the Snow Country soon! Let's go, if we don't hurry – "

"Enough," Yukie interrupted, slamming her glass down on the bar with added emphasis. "The Sky Princess is leaving."

"Leaving!?" The man repeated in completely despair. "What do you mean!?"

"Its fine," Yukie said, waving her hand in front of her dramatically. "It happens all the time. Lead actresses change all the time, as can directors. You can find a replacement easy en – "

"QUIET!!!" Sandayuu yelled, making her drop. To Naruto's amazement, she shut up immediately, she even looked a little bit concerned. She didn't react at all when he was shouting at her just moments ago. Whoever the hell this guy was…he had some obvious influence over her.

"The role of Sky Princess Gale can be played by no one except you, Yukie-sama!" Sandayuu yelled. Yukie stared at him for a moment and looked down. She then slowly turned herself back to the bar. Sandayuu then continued in a softer, but still firm voice. "Besides, if you drop out this late in the game, you'll never work in this business again!"

Yukie was silent at that and Naruto thought that maybe this guy got through to her. Then. "So what? I don't care."

Or maybe not.

"Then I guess I have no choice," came Kakashi's voice. Naruto looked at his sensei as he lifted his hitai-ite and exposed his left Sharingan eye. He looked Yukie directly in the eye and seconds later, Yukie collapsed in Kakashi's arms.

"Mind telling me what you just did that for?" Naruto asked. "Don't tell me that you're…"

"She's our next assignment, Naruto," Kakashi interrupted, giving the boy his smiling eye. "You're now part of her bodyguard until further notice."

Naruto wanted to slam a Rasengan into the older man. That wasn't even close to funny! There was no way in hell that he would guard this bitchy woman! At least Tazuna had some social skills and wasn't entirely arrogant! After a few moments, he realized that Kakashi was being completely serious. "No fucking way…seriously!?" Naruto asked. He really had to guard this bitchy actress!?

"Language Naruto," Kakashi said, smiling underneath his mask.

**

* * *

Twenty minutes later…**

"This is the ship that we'll be taking to the Snow Country," Kakashi told his team.

The three genin looked at the ship. It was huge. Had to be at least as tall as the Hokage Tower, and nearly three times as long, with two gigantic sails. "Wow…" Sakura said. "And we'll be traveling on that for…how long?"

After Yukie had been knocked out by Kakashi, all four Konoha nin gathered (after retrieve their backpacks with their personal supplies from the hotel room that they had used) with the film crew and headed towards the ship. Even now, everyone was busy loading the ship with cameras, pieces of sets, costumes and all the other essential material. Sandayuu had already taken a sleeping Yukie aboard, allowing the shinobi to view the ship.

"It's a five day round trip from here to the Snow Country," Kakashi continued, now looking at his three subordinates. "Two and a half days there, and the same amount of time back."

Naruto wondered about that. It was a half a day's journey from this port to Konoha. Well, half a day for a shinobi, anyway. That might they were going to be gone for at least 6 days. "Just how long is this mission going to last?" He asked, shifting his backpack to the other shoulder. Just how long was he expected to deal with this bitchy woman!?

Kakashi shrugged. "Don't know. I suppose it depends just how long they need to shoot the scenes. Theoretically, it could take as long as a few days or even a month."

"A MONTH!?" Naruto shouted.

Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura all looked at him. "Is there something wrong?" Sakura asked. "You're the one that enjoyed the movie the most."

"That was _before_ I knew what kind of person she was." Naruto shot back.

"Don't let it get to you, Naruto." Kakashi said, looking at the boy directly. "Be mindful of the mission. Speaking of which, I want to meet you all on deck at 6 in the morning. Going to cover some of the things you're going to need to be able to function in the cold." Before Naruto could say otherwise, Kakashi held up a hand and stopped him. "Look on the bright side. We're all going to have our own individual rooms and plenty of free time. Only one of us will be required to be with her at all times. I imagine that you'll have plenty of time to work on your jutsu."

Naruto stopped at that and thought about it, letting a small grin burst on his face. With that, they all got on board. The three genin took a moment to look around at the ship and then casually walked over and viewed the settling sea itself, lost in it's beauty and complexity. Kakashi volunteered to see to Yukie first, allowing his three subordinates to get comfortable and relax. They ran across Kaijo, who volunteered to show the three their respective rooms. He lead them down a flight of stairs, telling them that they were all in a row and not far from Yukie herself, should they be forced to hurry to her for whatever reason.

"I don't really expect any sort of trouble," Kaijo admitted as they now got off the stairs and walked down the hall. "But this is the first time that we're going overseas, so I guess we can't be too careful. I've heard tales of pirates and brigades are feeling more and more daring by the day." He then stopped and showed them three doors. "Well…here they are. They're all the same, so you can take whichever ones you like. The mess hall is up the stairs and to the right, while and bathrooms are down the way." He pointed in the right direction.

"Where's Kakashi-sensei staying?" Sakura asked, looking up at the assistant director.

"He has a room right next to Yukie-san herself," Kaijo answered. "We would have had your rooms there as well, but with all the last minute rearranging we've been doing…" he trailed off, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"No problem," Naruto said quickly. He then pointed to the one farthest on the right. "I'll take that one. As far away from that bitch as possible."

Sasuke looked at Sakura. "I don't care. You can have either one."

"Thanks," Sakura said evenly, not looking at him. "I'll take the left one then." Without another word, she entered the room and closed the door. A moment later, Naruto saw Sasuke give a small sigh as he entered the middle room. He blinked a couple of times. Sasuke sighing? Did he miss something? He shrugged, figuring it was none of his business. He nodded his thanks to the orange haired man and walked into his own room. He closed the door and felt himself smile. Some privacy at last! Now he could work on his jutsu!

He took a few seconds to look around the room. It was fairly simple. A small medium sized bed in the corner, a small dresser with a few cups and a pitcher, a small mirror, a fairly nice rug and a small heater.

He grinned eagerly as he pulled out a blank scroll, with only the title _Uzumaki Family Jutsus—Scroll 6 _as he sat on the floor He took out a pen and tapped it against his mouth, wondering where to start. Should he start with his own recreation of the Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu? Or should he resummon Gamayoyaku had start learning the mechanics of the Gama Suraimu? Or should he try and work on combining the nature and shape manipulations? Or should he work on that other _two_ that he had his mind on?

After a few minutes of consideration, he decided to work on the Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu first. He placed his scroll on the floor and began writing down all the notes, all the observations he had seen during the movie, all his theories and so on. It took him about thirty minutes of writing, crossing out, making revisions and small interjections before he nodded in satisfaction. He carefully rolled up the scroll and stood up. He then walked out of his room, made sure to _lock_ the door and headed towards the upper deck. He first went to the mess hall, not having anything to eat for a long time and quickly devoured eight bowls of ramen as a snack.

After his small meal, he got out to the main deck, where he could see that several people were still up and working. He then looked at the sky and realized that the sun was just barely setting. He still had time. He looked around and saw Kaijo again, who was directing several people to set up a house frame.

Naruto walked over and cleared his throat loudly. Kaijo jumped a little bit and then carefully looked at the small boy. "Oh, Naruto-kun. What can I help you with?"

"Do you have any place where I could work alone, and without bothering, or being bothered by anyone?"

Kaijo looked at him for a moment while he processed this request. He rubbed his chin several times as he thought. "You could go to the very back end of the ship. We're not doing anything over there…"

"Thanks!" Naruto shouted, running off. Kaijo briefly wondered if he should had mentioned that Sasuke had just asked the same thing not too long ago. He shrugged it off and looked back at the men. "Take it up slowly!"

Naruto bounced along the ship, dodging and ignoring the movie workers as he made his way to the rear end of the ship. He finally got there and looked around. Perfect. No one around, a bright light overhead so he could see clearly and plenty of room to work with.

He immediately got out a kunai, activated his Oboro just in case someone was watching and began working. He started with a trial version of what he thought about during the movie: using the kunai as a focal point and gather wind around that. Five minutes into it, he realized he had a slight problem.

Princess Gale had used the technique by simply moving her hand down the sword and then launching the attack. Naruto would have to resort to some seals to use to create the wind, something he hadn't considered. That wasn't the problem though. The problem was that if he wanted to do this, he would have to have the kunai in one hand, which only left him _one_ free hand to form the seals. Now, while Naruto could do some of his jutsu with just one handed seals, the problem was that many of those were basic or very familiar ones, like his Kaze Kiwa. He couldn't do a complex ones like Haku had done. In other words, if he didn't find a simple, yet particular method seal chain, then this whole jutsu would be a failure.

After a few moments of realizing that, Naruto felt himself grin, despite what he was thinking. Him? Fail? Surely not! He created the Sarutobi no Jutsu for the bet with Obaachan, where he had to resort to a special seal, Fushichou. Not to mention all the others he had created! If he could do that, then he could work out this slight problem!

With new found optimism, Naruto began working.

**

* * *

Sasuke**

**Same time…**

"Raiton: Shuurai no Jutsu!" Sasuke cried on the other side of the boat. He threw his head forward and opened his mouth. Nothing came out. Immediately the surge feeling returned. His hands automatically flew to his throat and he began heaving loudly. His throat felt just like he had stuck his tongue on an electric fence.

During all this time that Naruto was working on his own training, Sasuke had found his own secluded spot in the very front of the ship, working on his own training. During his free time – which mostly meant the three days before that incident – his mind had gone into overtime, thinking of three new jutsu at once. It was possible this was simply because he knew that if he didn't keep working hard, specifically creating his own hidden trump cards, he knew that Naruto would have a critical advantage when the next time they fought. The blond had also told him that it was _fun_ to simply create a jutsu all your own, something that Sasuke considered somewhat true.

Not that Sasuke would ever admit any of this out loud.

Truth be told, Sasuke did find it…_thrilling_ (he didn't have time for fun!) to create his own techniques. Something only he knew about. It gave him an immense advantage in battle, unleashing an attack that his opponent had no idea about. Sasuke briefly wondered why Kakashi, who had copied over a thousand techniques, had never created anything original besides the Raikiri. He shrugged. To each his own, he guessed.

At first, it had gone easy enough. The first one he was working on was one he had wanted to try for awhile. He had the theory down on it; it was just a matter of trial and error from this point. He should – no, _would_ – have it complete in less than a day.

The second one was giving him a complete headache. Like the first, he had the theory of it down, how to apply it and how it was _supposed_ to work. But it didn't work! Not the way it was supposed to! And in a major fight, the Kisou Karyuu would have a high chance of injuring him at best, or just distracting him at worse. Though, that could long enough and then his opponent would injury him! Either way, if he didn't find a way to fix this, the jutsu was going to do more harm than good. And he was still no closer to fixing the problem than he had been days ago!

So with that thought, he figured he'd start working on his _third one_: the Shuurai. This one he had actually thought of this morning. He wanted to experiment with the Lightning element. With the Gouka Tenohira, and the other two techniques he had on his mind, he was already well into experimenting with the Katon class and even using it for particle use. For the Raiton class, he only had Chidori. And he was curious just how far he could take Raiton.

So far, it was as much as a pain in the ass as was the Kisou Karyuu. It wasn't that he didn't know what he was doing, he just kept making mistakes! Amateurish mistakes! The idea behind it was simple, as Sasuke was modeling it after the Goukakyuu. Just apply the Raiton in the same principals as the Katon. Sure, it wouldn't be overly powerful, just a lightning equivalent to the Goukakyuu, but a simple method was often the best method for a first try.

So far he had tried it twice and royally screwed up both times. The first time, he messed up the seals, ending with a Tora seal instead of the Saru one. This time, he got the seals down correctly, but he was trying to mold the Raiton in the exact same way as he did the Katon. That was stupid! He knew that you couldn't mold Raiton in the exact same way as Katon. That's why they were different elements! Both times, he felt as if he had electrocuted his throat.

After a few minutes of rubbing his throat, the shock died and went away. He angrily grabbed his canteen and took a few quick gulps of the refreshing water. What the hell was wrong with him!? He was having more trouble concentrating now than even when he was in his FIRST year at the academy! He was an Uchiha! One of the elite! He had never made such amateurish mistakes before, so why was he doing so now!? Why was he having so much trouble now!? What changed?!

After fighting off that damned urge again, he slammed his fist into the side of the ship, and left a small impression behind, Sasuke flashed through the series of seals yet again and cried. "Raiton: Shuurai no Jutsu!"

Seconds later, Sasuke's hands clutched his throat again…

**

* * *

Sakura**

**Same time…**

Sakura was sitting crossed legged on her bed in her own room. In front of her were several scrolls, most of which were the ones she borrowed from the Konoha library about medical ninjutsu or the ones that Shizune had given her form the CLS classes. Though, she wasn't reading any of those at the moment.

The one she was currently reading was a basic ninjutsu one from the library. It cover the general ideas of it, some basic concepts, tips on when and where to use ninjutsu and what situations you should avoid using ninjutsu. All in all, a beginners how to guide, but perfect for her needs. She had heard of the extreme levels and feats that her two teammates had shown during their fight at the Valley of the End, just like everyone else. Of course, unlike everyone else, it hit her more personally.

She didn't feel jealous or anything of that nature. She knew that the two boys were strong. She probably knew better than anyone, even Kakashi-sensei. It had hit her personally because she was so far behind them all three of them. Even with her training in the CLS classes, she wasn't entirely satisfied. She wanted to grow stronger, faster, better. And she was still completely determined to do it in her own way.

Her genjutsus were great so far, but Sakura had found herself curious to the ninjutsu aspect of the shinobi arts. Especially the wild things she had seen or heard that the other two had done.

She read a bit more and started writing notes on a blank scroll beside her, concerning one technique she had read about and wanted to give it a try. She spent about an hour rereading the dynamics of the jutsu, making sure she understood fully. Given what it was, she wouldn't be able to practice it properly until she got to some dry land.

After she was satisfied with that part, she looked at the time. It was getting quite late. Gently, she gathered up all her scrolls and got off the bed, her bare feet landing gracefully on the carpet. She then laid all the scrolls down on the dresser and walked back to her backpack and took out a target board. She walked over to an empty space on the wall and set it up. After nodding to herself, she walked into the middle of the room. She took a couple of deep breaths and then punched into the air, followed by a quick side kick. She punched and kicked again and again.

She had been practicing on her taijutsu ever since she had mastered her Haruno Sakura. Every night since then, she would spend a couple of hours working on basic drills from what she had learned from the academy, fighting imaginary opponents, falling and recovering and other such stuff before going to sleep. It would had been much easier and more efficient if she had a sparring partner, or at least knew how to perform the Kage Bunshin.

But she didn't. She didn't have either right now. That was part of the price she had to pay for finding her own way. She wondered if she even had the chakra reserves to maintain a single Kage Bunshin, let alone even creating a single one. She honestly doubted it. Not with her current levels.

She shook her head. Dwelling on what she didn't have would get her nowhere. Right now, she had to focus on what she could do.

With that in mind, she took out a kunai and began practicing with the weapon.

**

* * *

Otogakure**

**Same time…**

"Senei Jashu!"

Out of Orochimaru's right sleeve, several snakes burst out and streaked towards the boy he had dubbed Dageki Kiryoku. The boy was now too exhausted to even attempt to move. The snakes bit into his wrists and ankles easily as he was pushed right into the wall, where the child gave a loud cry of pain, followed by, "I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!!!"

"I'm sure," Orochimaru said in a low voice, full of venom and mockery. With a simple gestured, the four snakes twisted and four loud snaps were heard and Kiryoku's scream intensified for a mere moment. The snakes then withdraw from his new apprentice and he fell to the floor limp. Orochimaru then calmly walked towards the boy.

"That is enough for today. You will now crawl to the medical ward, where Kabuto _might_ be willing to heal your broken bones and other injuries. I expect to see you here again, same time tomorrow morning. No matter what condition your body is in."

"I said: FUCK YOU!! BASTARD!!!"

Another snake shot out of Orochimaru's sleeve and this time, bit on the child's throat. Several streaks of blood began running down the child's neck. Orochimaru then walked closer to the boy and used the snake to pick up and bring Kiryoku his eye level. The killer intent Orochimaru was giving off was enough to make most Jounin and ANBU quiver in fear. To the boy's credit, he only seemed to sweat and was slightly unafraid, despite the considerable pain he had to be in, especially his neck now. _Good_ Orochimaru thought to himself. The boy was developing quite nicely. Out loud, Orochimaru said. "You _will_ do as I say and you _will _address me as Orochimaru-sensei. You would do well to remember that everyone is expendable. Continue to test my patience and you will find yourself disposed of. Shall I remind you yet again how easily I killed your _family?_" Orochimaru said that last word with a sneer, enough to get Kiryoku's attention and increase his hate. "And if you die now, you will never get your chance at revenge." Orochimaru withdraw the snake thus dropped Kiryoku to the ground, backed up and waited.

Kiryoku's eyes screamed pure malice and for a second, Orochimaru thought that Kiryoku might attack him anyway. However, the kid slumped down, muttered. 'Hai, Orochimaru-_sensei_' and began crawling towards the medical ward. Even if his wrists and ankles weren't broken, Orochimaru knew that he didn't have the strength to walk anyway. And if he even tried to walk, the pain from the broken ankles and wrists would keep him from doing so.

Both he and the boy were in the lowest part of the base. The place where Orochimaru himself trained, tested several potential fighters or found out how successful his experiments were. The base itself was huge, about seven stories underground, and nearly as wide as it was tall. And the medical ward was located on the fourth level.

Which meant that Kiryoku had to crawl roughly six kilometers. And that figure didn't even include the stairways up. Or any passing Oto-nin who would be sure to…'help'…the boy along.

Orochimaru chuckled to himself with dry amusement at the thought. Perhaps this should become a daily practice for the boy. With that thought, he walked out of the room. He let all thoughts of Dageki Kiryoku slip from his mind. He had other things to consider now.

He walked for a time until he came to a very specific room: the holding pen for his experiments. He walked in the room, causally glancing at the rows of medical tubes, cells and leftovers that had collected over time. Perhaps he should make Kiryoku clean this area. Too bad Orochimaru didn't have his family's corpses to add. He could only imagine Kiryoku's face at gathering the lingering remains of those he once cherished.

But then again…he did have Kabuto, and Kabuto was very skilled at his work and _duplicating _bodies.

He continued to walk down the room where he finally saw what he had been looking for. The medical tube of Experiment #69. Unlike a vast majority of others, this one was empty and the former occupant was _not_ dead or dying. No, the occupant was about. Working on a very special assignment for the Hebi-sannin.

Even though Uchiha Sasuke had been returned to Konohagakure – whether willingly, or forcefully, Orochimaru did not yet know – Orochimaru was not yet ready to give up on collecting the boy. Though persuasion and brute force had apparently failed, Orochimaru still had one last method to try. Stealth.

Kabuto himself had suggested the course of action and recommended Experiment #69 for the job, due to the abilities he had been given through the various experimentation on him. Though Experiment #69 was still classified in the trial stages, Kabuto stated that this assignment would be an excellent test run. Orochimaru found himself agreeing. After all, Experiment #69's abilities made him the perfect covert operative, and if necessary, assassin. And his loyalty to Orochimaru was second only to Kimimaro's. He had even _volunteered_ for this experiment.

So, they had released Experiment #69 from his tank early and given him his assignment. Retrieve Uchiha Sasuke by any means necessary. Assume that Uchiha Sasuke does not want to join Orochimaru. They would not question his methods, nor would they question his actions as long as Sasuke was brought to him _alive_. The young man – if he could truly be called a man anymore – merely nodded and left immediately. That had been four days ago.

Orochimaru absentmindedly placed his left hand and felt the now cold glass of the tank against his skin. He let himself grin at that. "Yes," He hissed to himself in a confident voice. "You will serve me well…Bakeru," Orochimaru said, choosing to call Experiment #69 by his codename.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) And so ends Chapter three, with the start of the journey to the Snow country and this little insight on Experiment #69, or Bakeru, which is an original plotline I made up specifically for this story. Why? Just because it sounded fun. 

First things first, concerning the Assistant Director 'Kaijo'. I looked through my primary sources, plus some and I never found a name for him. Even Wikipedia simply calls him 'Assistant Director'. So, I decided to give him a name and thus, he was dubbed Kaijo, which I believe suits him properly.

I entered the time references in the chapter to help everyone (especially me) see how I was going to fit this storyline in one week. I have seven days to use before the start of the Second Bell test, so here's the break down.

1/2 from Konoha to the port city

2 & 1/2 from port city to the Snow Country by boat (that's 3 days so far)

1 to cover all the events during at the Snow Country itself. Yes, I can fit it all in one day. A very LONG day

3 from Snow back to Konoha (2 & 1/2 from Snow to port city, then 1/2 from port city to Konoha)

Then the next day: the Second Bell Test!

One other thing, I believe in giving credit where credit is due and since it was Tellemicus himself - in his review - who suggested that this story could be where Team 7 (specifically Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke) start building their reputations, let it be known that all the reputation parts, where movie crew mentioned Zabuza and where Yukie/Koyuki mentioned Gaara, came from Tellemicus' suggestion.

Kaijo – helper/assistant/second

Bakeru – not going to reveal yet, but I promise to in the next chapter. Obviously, his name gives a small clue to his abilities.

Jutsu used in this chapter:

**Oboro**--_Hazy_//A cloud of chakra that surrounds the user and blurs his image to everyone who looks at him, even if they're directly in front of him. This jutsu can be used for multiple things; escape, espionage, fighting, and (Naruto's original purpose) pranking. It is reliant on the user's ability to expel large amounts of chakra from nearly all their tenketsu points for an indefinite period. This jutsu is more suitable to shinobi around the jounin level, who have developed large chakra reserves. This jutsu is yet to be defeated. (B-Class Ninjutsu) Original technique created by Tellemicus

Nothing for the other original techniques mentioned in this chapter due to the fact that they're not complete yet.

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemcius created that are used in this story belongs to him._


	4. The Strangest Thing

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 4–The Strangest Thing_

Night was such a quiet time. Perfect for those who were waiting for the opportunity to pull of some…very satisfying revenge.

Han was running late. The others were waiting for him above deck. As if it was his fault! He had been as eager as the other seven, if not more so! After all, _he _had been the one stuffed in the stupid trash can for hours! Not any of the others! He had more reason to want to do this than any of them! He had been so anxious waiting for midnight, the time when most people would be asleep – especially that one eyed blond runt! – that he actually lost track of time! He was currently running through the hallways, hardly paying attention to his surroundings.

He nearly ran into it, looking up just in time to come to a skidding halt. Someone was standing right in front of him! With all the darkness, he couldn't make out who it was, and he didn't really care either. Quickly, he put on a false smile on his face (despite the fact that other person wouldn't be able to see it) and said an eerily cheering voice. "Hello. Nice night for an evening stroll, right?" He was in no mood to deal with this now! He had a VERY IMPORTANT matter to attend to.

The figure neither moved nor said anything. Han then took a moment and directly looked at the other figure. Now that he thought about it…something was not right. Something was…quite wrong. Very wrong. He felt anxiety and trace amounts of fear creeping into his mind. "W-who…who are you?"

The figure descended on him in a flash and Han never even got a chance to scream.

**

* * *

Kakashi**

Kakashi was standing outside of Fujikaze Yukie's room. As he had told Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke, one of them would have to be near Yukie at all times. That's what happened when you and your team get assigned a guard detail. Currently, Kakashi was standing outside her door, causally watching the hallway. He didn't really expect any sort of trouble, but he was a Jounin of Konohakagure and he was a professional. He would do his job.

There wasn't much lighting in the lower decks, not that that was any surprise, so Kakashi wasn't able to read the Icha Icha Paradise. No matter. He had other ways of dealing with boredom while on guard detail. Most of the time, he just thought of the past, with Rin, Obito and Minato-sensei. Not this time though. His thoughts were comprised of his own team.

He hadn't gotten a chance to interact with them, any more than they had with themselves. He was constantly being sent on A and S class missions, Sakura he knew was now fully focused on her own training and he figured that Naruto and Sasuke would be working on new jutsus during their free time or pounding the hell out of each other. He felt himself smile underneath his mask. All three had immense potential. He wouldn't be surprised if all three of them surpassed him in a few short years. Whether it was through Naruto's unpredictably, Sasuke's genius, or Sakura's determination. Or perhaps…a combination of all three. After all, they were a team. He had no doubt the time would come when all three would be able to truly work together, to be able to cover one's weakness and play off another's strength.

He paused momentarily on his thoughts as he decided to start his routine patrol down the halls, noticing nothing strange at all…until his foot hit something towards the end of the hallway.

It felt like a warm body.

As if by magic, a kunai appeared in Kakashi's hand. He quickly surveyed the area, ready to intercept any attack that could come. He saw nothing. Quietly, he knelt down and noticed that men seemed to barely be breathing and was extremely pale. All the color from his face was completely gone. He then pressed two fingers to the man's neck with his free hand. He was alive. Kakashi then rose and cross his fingers, muttered the words and created a single Kage Bunshin.

The Kage Bunshin then immediately took off to continue the search, while the original put his kunai away, picked up the man and ran to find him some medical attention.

* * *

"Kuso! Where the hell is Han!?" One man whispered angrily at his fellow conspirators. "He's fucking forty minutes late now!"

"I say, we just do it anyway! Forget him! If he's going to forget, then that's his problem! Not ours!" another one agreed. There was a small chorus of 'Hai!' from the rest of the group. Then as one, all seven men began stealthy walking towards that brat's room.

All seven of the men (eight if you included the absent Han) were all in that first group that had been chasing after Yukie-sama and got slimed on by Naruto's frog summon. They eventually got free and made their way back to the movie studio, only to discover that the blond bastard was there too! As part of Yukie-sama's new personal bodyguard! So, not only had the blond Konoha nin completely humiliated them, but he and his little group had replaced them as well!

So, all eight gathered and conspired to get some very sweet and very personal revenge. They were all currently carrying several mischief items, such as toilet paper, paint, whipped cream and whatever else they could think of. They all were going to sneak into the brat's room and give him a taste of ultimate humiliation, where the entire ship would see! Show everyone just how pathetically and easily they could trash this shinobi at his own damned game!

They snuck to the blond brat's room, that Han of all people had managed to confirm earlier that day, and gathered around it, lined up against the walls with their backs to it, like some special unit. The closest man had his hand hovering over the door handle, and looking at the 'leader' just across from him. The 'leader' then gave a slight nod and the other man immediately flung the door opened and all seven quickly, but quietly, entered the room, usually small flashlights to guide themselves.

They saw the bed in the corner and how the blankets were humped up. The seven men grinned amongst themselves, getting their tools ready and eagerness at its full peak. Several hands reached out, grabbed the brat's blanket and pulled it off…

…only to reveal a small practice dummy of Kakashi.

The men's jaws all dropped to the floor on that. One man poked the figure a few times, as if not believing his eyes. He then carefully picked it up and got a better look at it. It was roughly the same size as the blond brat, though several areas had stuffing coming out, showing the constant usage that had been used on it. The men all began whispering among themselves, wondering where the hell that blond shinobi was at.

"Are you bastards looking for me?" Ask a very cheerful voice from behind them.

The men all froze in their position. As one, they all slowly moved towards the direction that the voice had come from. At first, they saw nothing, then out of the corner of their eyes, they looked upward and there on the ceiling was the blond bastard himself! He was in nothing but his boxers, looking at them directly and had a smile on his face that could has easily been mistaken for a sadistic one. "Well?" He started. "Out with it. What do you losers want now?"

"It's payback for what you did back in the city!" All the men shouted. "What the hell did you think it was!?"

"Payback," the brat repeated. He then nodded to himself. "Ok. Fine with me. But that means you're going head to head with the Prank Master!" The boy ended by cracking his knuckles at them. "And it's been a VERY long time since I've pulled a prank, so…I'm going to _enjoy_ this…"

All the men then felt a sudden urge of doom and realized that maybe…just maybe…this wasn't such a great idea after all…

* * *

**Yukie**

Yukie's eyes opened slowly and she took in her surrounds. She was in a nice, soft bed in a large room, filled with fancy furniture and nice clothing. There were no windows, but there was a single door at the end of the room. Although the room seemed to be swaying slightly, much to her dismay. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a clock. 5:13 a.m.

"Is Yukie-sama waking?" she heard a familiar voice ask. Sandayuu.

She slowly sat up in her bed and immediately felt worse. She put a hand on her forehead, but the futile attempt was just that futile. She felt incredibly dizzy with all this swaying going on and it was just getting worse by the second. "Sandayuu. Can you get my a glass of water? It feels like the whole room is swaying." She gave a small laugh. "Sounds crazy, doesn't it?"

"It's…well…it's actually not _that_ crazy…"

All thoughts of dizziness and thirst vanished from Yukie's mind. She immediately jumped out of the bed and room towards the door, pushing her assistant out of the way and ignoring whatever it was he was about to add. She reached the door and swung it opened…

"YAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"

**

* * *

Sakura**

Sakura's eyes flew at the sound of the scream. She didn't have a clue what the scream was about, but she was one of Yukie's bodyguards. She throw the covers off, quickly got dressed, strapped her kunai pouch to her right leg, tied her hitai-ite in her hair and run out of the room.

She nearly ran into Sasuke, but both skipped to a stop just seconds before running into each other. "You heard it, too?" She asked him in a hurry.

"Hai," he replied. They both nodded to each other and ran towards the source of the scream. "Where's that idiot Naruto?" Sasuke asked as they ran up the stairs.

"Maybe he's already ther…" Sakura started as they emerged on deck. She stopped when she saw the sight and her jaw dropped. Sasuke's eyebrow also rose at the sight.

Yukie was on her knees, with a very shocked look on her face. It wasn't fear or anything like the two Konoha nin expected. She was pointing a very shaky finger at the source of her scream. Up at that masts were seven figures tied and gagged upside-down to the sails, wearing nothing but their underwear. All had been 'decorated' in someway. One had been wrapped up in toilet paper, another had been shaved bald with the hair glued to his face, another had been painted on with lots of cussing and so on.

Sakura and Sasuke continued to look the sight until they both said. "Naruto…"

They had spent the next thirty minutes getting the seven men down and helping them to their rooms to rest and recover (the men kept ranting about a 'blond demon' over and over in terrified voices), while Sandayuu helped Yukie herself back to her room. Then they just stood there and waited for the other two to show up. Ten minutes later, Naruto himself came, grinning immensely at himself and in a very good mood apparently. Though Sakura knew he would deny it, that look was nearly identical to the one he had when he and Hinata-san had that small 'accident' not too long ago.

"Isn't it just a beautiful morning?" Naruto asked cheerfully, looking around merrily.

"Cloudy, dull, slightly chilly, way too early," Sasuke listed off, counting each remark on his fingers. "If that's your view of a beautiful morning, then you really are as stupid as you look."

"Look who's talking, Kizuato," Naruto countered. He then stretched back and let out a soft chuckle. "Nice try though, but that's not going to ruin my good mood."

Sakura decided to speak up before this got out of hand. "So…then you _were_ the one that tied those men to the sails?"

"Who me?" Naruto pointed at himself dramatically while forging a look of complete innocence on his face, complete with an unnaturally high pitched voice for the one eyed blond shinobi. "What ever gave you that idea?"

"Where to start?" Sakura asked dryly, while Naruto just laughed louder.

So for an hour, Sakura and Sasuke listened to Naruto as he told about the incident, how they had been the same guys he and Gamayoyaku had slimed just yesterday. He then told them who all seven had snuck into his room with the full intend of garnishing him with their various tools and items. "So…they learned the hard way why you don't try to prank the Prank Master!"

"Is that so?" came Kakashi's voice from behind them.

Immediately, all three turned around and looked at their smiling sensei who was carrying his backpack and said. "Yo. Sorry I'm late. I'm afraid I had to help a man recover from…"

"LIAR!!" Naruto and Sakura shouted at the man, cutting Kakashi off. "Can you at least _pretend _to be sorry!?"

"At least it's different than that stupid 'road of life' thing," Sasuke said, crossing his arms.

"I'm serious."

All three genin looked at him, then Naruto laughed. "Yeah right! That would be a first!"

"Naruto…" Kakashi started, but Naruto kept on going.

"Like we'd believe some Kokuzoku after…"

"Naruto…"

"…having him appear late time and time again…"

"_Naruto_…"

"…with the same stupid lies that shred any possibly dignity and credibility for the said man…"

"NARUTO!!!" Kakashi actually shouted loudly, causing all three genin to flinch badly and ending Naruto's rant. They all looked at them and Kakashi was giving Naruto a hard glare with his own eye. "I'd like a word with you afterwards, _understand_?"

Sakura saw Naruto looked at a man hard, before saying a quiet 'fine.' Kakashi then looked at his three genin. "Now listen up you three. What I'm about to tell you is strictly confidential. Do not discuss this with anyone else. And I mean anyone. Understand?"

All three nodded, though Naruto added the middle finger when he nodded.

"Now listen. Last night, I stumbled on a man in the hallway while I was routine patrol. He was unconscious with no physical wounds, but was quite pale. He had a faint pulse, so he was still alive. I carried him to a spare room, where I found Sandayuu working and the two of us managed to give him some rudimentary first aid."

"Are you sure he just didn't pass out from stress or over work?" Sakura asked.

"Very sure. You see…his body had been drained of blood."

All three shinobi's faces fell at that remark. Sasuke recovered first. "What?"

"His body had been drained of blood," Kakashi repeated. "Not all of it, but a large amount. Sandayuu estimates that he lost about 80 percent of his blood, which probably explains why he was so pale. He's also currently in shock, no doubt do to the rapid loss of blood. And that's not the strangest thing either."

_80 percent!? _Sakura gulped loudly. "Are…are you going to t-tell us…that they're…bite marks on his n-neck?"

Kakashi gave a small smiling eye at his female student. "No, there were no bite marks on his neck, so you don't have to worry about any vampires or such creatures." He then grew serious again. "But that's the strangest thing…there are no bite marks. Anywhere. None on the neck, none on the arm, none of the chest. None anyway. As I said, there were no wounds. No place where someone could have drawn out the blood."

"None?" Naruto asked amazed. "But then…how? Maybe it just used a medical jutsu or something and closed it up…"

"I thought about that," Kakashi said. He pointed to his left eye. "But my Sharingan detected no lingering chakra signatures, so I don't believe that any medical ninjutsu was used. Which just puzzles me even more. In any case, the man is sleeping soundly right now. Sandayuu estimates that he will be out for three or four days and then be perfectly fine."

"Any idea why someone would need to do something like this?" Sakura asked, only to have Kakashi shake his head.

"Who all knows about this?" Sasuke asked.

"Right now, just us, Sandayuu, the ship's captain and the first mate. I don't want Makino, Kaijo and especially Yukie herself, to know about this. At least, not unless it proves necessary."

"So what do we do about it, Hatake?" Naruto asked.

"Right now, keep an extra eye out. Keep alert for any kind of suspicious activity; just don't make it too obvious. There's something…or someone…on this boat that doesn't belong here. Maybe even more than one. What his reasons and motives are, we can only guess. Now, go about your days as usual. Train. Rest. Relax. Keep an eye out. If any of you do discover something out of the ordinary, use your best judgment. If you feel you need backup, get it. Don't act alone if you don't have to." He then gave a smile. "I know that you are all strong…and growing stronger, but also remember that we are all a team."

"Hai," all three genin responded automatically.

Kakashi then reached for his backpack. "Now that that's out of the way, time to talk about what I originally planned on." He planned out several items, among them gloves, long cloaks, long sleeved clothes, gloves and some small footwear things. "We need to cover some basics on snow combat.

"First of all is that all your normal clothing, sandals, shorts, short sleeved shirts, isn't going to cut it. Keep as little skin exposed as you can." He started passing out the items to each person. "Second is don't you underestimate the cold. If you get lost, injured or anything like that, find some shelter ASAP. Don't try to force yourself to fight if you're too cold. You would only lose stamina and succumb to the cold that much faster. Understand?"

Sakura and the other two nodded as they all heard several doors open and people began coming out. "Looks like they're getting ready to start filming. Which means that Yukie-san herself should be out soon." Kakashi said. "Sakura. Sasuke. You two go and keep an eye on her for the time being."

Sakura and Sasuke nodded and they left Kakashi and Naruto alone to talk. They came up to Director Makino, who was currently engrossed in some papers. "Is there somewhere we can sit without being in the way?" Sakura asked him.

Makino's face didn't leave the papers. He merely pointed off to the left, where Sakura saw was an empty place by the side of the ship. "Thanks," She replied as she and Sasuke walked over, sat down and waited in silence. Though, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasuke rubbing his left cheek. She decided not to say anything as they both watched the men set up the scene.

**

* * *

Naruto**

"What do you want, Hatake?" Naruto asked, leaning against the side of the ship and giving the Jounin a glare with his eye.

"What I want is to know what's wrong," Kakashi said, looking directly at his subordinate. "I thought that were clear with that talk a few days ago at the hospital."

"Well, you thought wrong," Naruto said flatly.

Kakashi gave him a hard look. "This attitude of yours isn't going to affect your performance on the mission, is it?" He asked in a hard voice.

Naruto looked at his traitorous sensei, before finally saying. "I'm a shinobi. I know when to act and when not too."

Kakashi nodded in satisfaction at the respond. "So…you're still angry with me teaching Sasuke the Oboro, aren't you?" That really wasn't a question, so Kakashi put his face into his hand and slowly shook his head, as if fighting off a migraine, "Naruto…in many ways you're more mature than someone you're age should be…but there are certain qualities that you possess that also show that you're still a child."

"What are you getting at, Hatake!?"

"That you can't forgive." Kakashi replied. "And that's going to bite you in the ass hard one of these days."

"What are you getting at?" Naruto demanded, rapidly losing interest in this conversation.

"That the day may come where one of your close friends hurts you…"

"Too late," Naruto interrupted, with a tone that made it sound like it was something perfectly obvious and that Kakashi was just being difficult and ignorant on purpose. "You, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke have all done that already."

"…what about Hinata?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto stopped and glared at Kakashi. "What are you saying?"

"The day may come where she may unintentionally hurt you, like Sakura, Sasuke and myself did."

"Hinata-chan wouldn't do that!" Naruto protested. No way would she do that! She was one of the few he could absolutely trust!

"Fine. What if _you _hurt her?"

Naruto could feel the Kyubi's youki emerging. "WHAT!?" How dare Kakashi even suggest such a thing!

Before, Naruto could say or do otherwise, he suddenly saw Kakashi wipe out some wire and Naruto felt his arms slap to his side and he was tied securely. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, TEME!!" Now both eyes were open and glaring strait at Kakashi.

"Let's just say, like Sasuke, I don't think you're the type to just sit while I preach. So shut up and listen. The sooner I say this, the sooner you can go."

Naruto just spat at the man, but the bastard didn't so much as flinch.

"People make mistakes, Naruto," Kakashi started. "Some times it's unintentional, but they still happen. We're all human, even shinobi. And humans always make mistakes. Sometimes they're large ones, sometimes they're small, but we still all make mistakes. What matters when those mistakes happen is if people can forgive the offender for those mistakes or not. If you can, then your bonds with that person will become stronger. If you can't…then you're going to find yourself alone again. No one will want to be around you. No one will even want to associate themselves with you. That can happen with even those you're closest to.

"While you deny it, it is possible that either you or Hinata could hurt one another. Something you don't agree on, such as her clan for example. And if either of you can't forgive each other, then you'll lose her. And that applies to myself, Sakura and Sasuke. Don't be so willing not to trust those around you. You'll find that life isn't as fulfilling without those closest to you.

"Now…if you still can't fully forgive me right now, I can understand why, but if you never even _attempt_ to forgive, then you are truly a selfish brat that can't accept the fact that people, especially himself, aren't perfect."

Naruto let the words sink in while the demon's chakra faded away. A second later, he felt the wires loosen up and pulled away. "Think of what I said," He heard Kakashi say. "Especially the part about being alone if you're not able to forgive those closest to you." He saw the man put on his smiling eye. "You certainly won't get another kiss from Hinata if you do that."

Naruto felt his face go red, even as he shouted. "HOW THE HELL DO _YOU _KNOW ABOUT THAT!?"

"That is a secret," Kakashi replied, echoing the words that Naruto himself had used so many times.

Naruto never hated the man more than that moment right there. He was halfway through forming a Rasengan, when Kakashi casually grabbed his wrist, then Naruto felt himself lifted up and thrown over his sensei's shoulder like a discard shoe and sent flying through the air where he landed in a pile of large crates, with the man's words of 'temper, temper,' lingering in the air.

**

* * *

Thirty minutes later…**

"I don't like that woman," Naruto said flatly, looking at Yukie, who was getting the finishing touches of her makeup put on.

"What are you saying, Naruto." Kakashi asked, not even looking up from his book. "Well, regardless of how much you like her or not, we still must protect her and we includes you." Naruto snorted, so Kakashi asked. "And here I thought you would like an A-ranked mission."

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all looked at the Jounin. "A-ranked mission?" All three asked simultaneously. Sasuke turned around and leaned on the side. "This mission shouldn't be too hard. We're only escorting an actress."

"It's not like that, Sasuke. There are lots of famous people who are always getting targeted. Assume that there will be enemies there, so don't get caught off guard."

"Lights!" one man called, getting all of the Konoha nin's attentions.

"Mike on!" another cried, nearly by Yukie.

"Camera ok!" the cameraman added.

Director Makino brought up the director's horn to his mouth and shouted. "Start from the test! Get in the act!"

All four members of Team 7 were standing off to the side, next to Sandayuu himself and watching the scene that was going to be filmed next. It was a battle scene and Hidero/Shishimaru had been fatally injured. He was currently lying on his back, and Yukie/Princess Gale was on her knees, looking off into the distance, as if not believing what he just happened.

Kaijo held the snapshot and said. "Scene 23, cut 6, take 1. Action!" He snapped the thing and moved away.

Slowly, she turned and looked at directly at the 'dying' man. Her eyes went wide and she began trembling. She then grabbed the man by the collar and shouted. "Hold on, Shishimaru!"

"Princess…it's…useless…" Shishimaru chocked out, each word weaker than the last.

"What are you saying!?" Princess Gale/Yukie demanded. "We only found our courage because of you!"

"Princess…I wanted to see…the other side of the…rainbow…with you…togeth…" He didn't finish as his head lay to the side and he said no more.

"SHISHIMARU!!!" Princess Gale/Yukie cried.

"Wow…" Sakura said. "That's…really amazing. It's entirely realistic and believable. That's incredible given who she really is."

Naruto reluctantly nodded in agreement. Even he had to admit (not out loud, of course!) that if nothing else, this bitch was a supreme actress.

"That's Yukie-sama for you," Sandayuu spoke up suddenly. All heads turned his direction as they looked at him. He continued. "As soon as the camera turns on, that woman's acting is amazing. Her only flaw is…"

"Hold on a minute!" Yukie suddenly shouted at the camera, waving her hand, earning a frustrated groan from the group. "Sandayuu. I need more tears!"

"Hai!" Sandayuu shouted, taking out a small eyedropper from his jacket and running towards the actress. She bent backwards and let Sandayuu squeeze a few drops into her eyes. Naruto felt himself surprised that all of the problems she could have at acting, it was crying that she apparently couldn't do. The more Naruto thought about it, the more…appropriate it seemed for her, given her real, bitchy nature.

They continued watching for about ten minutes, before Kakashi told them that they could go if they wanted to. All three genin immediately jumped up and walked away, with Sasuke heading towards the front of the ship, Naruto the rear and Sakura her room. Kakashi felt himself smile as he noted that all of them were clearly going to go work on their skills and techniques.

**

* * *

Naruto**

Naruto walked to the rear and activated his Oboro again. He spent another twenty minutes working on his Kunai Soufuu Atsu and perfected it. He grabbed his scroll and reworked on the entry for another hour before he nodded in satisfaction.

He then put the scroll away and got into his thinking poss. Now…how should he combine Nature and Shape manipulation? He thought about it for a few minutes and then decided to just give it a try and see what the hell happened. He stood up, held out his right hand and formed the Rasengan. Once it was complete, he added a little wind to it.

Immediately, he felt the strain on his mind and his hand throbbing. It hurt! Naruto's left hand immediately grabbed his right and squeezed on it, as if that would lessen the pain, while he gritted his teeth and focused as hard as he could. He kept applying wind for several seconds until…

BOOM!

The Rasengan literally exploded in his hand and Naruto felt himself blown into nearly wall. Naruto groaned in pain as he staggered out. He couldn't believe what had just happened! He barely added any wind to it and he already failed! His hand was throbbing less now and his head seemed to clear up, but the memory still lingered.

He immediately understood just who difficult this task was. No wonder that baka-sensei, and even his hero, the Yondaime, couldn't do it! Or even…he stopped at that. He briefly wondered about the super pervert, as he recalled the scene in his mind.

"_Yes," Kakashi said, a smile spreading across his masked face. He could already see the interest of the subject making both boys' minds begin spinning. "The Yondaime had originally intended to create a jutsu that was composed of both types of chakra, shape and nature."_

"_But that's impossible!" Sasuke said, reluctantly awed by what the former Hokage had tried to do. He knew firsthand how difficult it was to manipulate nature chakra, especially an explosive power like fire._

"_Yes, it most certainly was for him and I," Kakashi said good-humouredly. "Neither of us had been able to accomplish it. The Rasengan was the best we could come up with."_

"_But if you had both shape and nature chakra in one jutsu…" Naruto said, his blue eye hazing over he reviewed the possibilities. "that jutsu would…be the…ultimate jutsu!"_

_His eye was widening and a large, giddy smile spread across Naruto's face. He now had a new goal. He'd make the next stage of the Rasengan that neither his idol or traitor of a sensei could finish!_

Why about ero-sannin? Naruto wondered. Kakashi had said that neither him, nor his sensei, had been able to complete it, but Kakashi hadn't even mentioned the super-pervert. Naruto was positive that Kakashi knew Jiraiya knew the Rasengan, so why hadn't ero-sannin been included in the list of those that tried and failed to mix nature and shape manipulations? Did Kakashi just casually forget to mention the old pervert? Or…was it possible…that ero-sannin…

Naruto shook his head at the thought, not willing to finish it. Who cares! That wasn't important right now. Naruto regained his bearings and tried again.

For two hours, Naruto tried and failed to make any real progress. He tried adding wind slowly, he tried adding it all at once. He even created at Kage Bunshin and tried it with the bunshin adding the wind for him, and it still didn't work! At most, Naruto felt that he had made the Rasengan about 20 percent complete and that had been with the Bunshin helping. Only 20 percent! Naruto sighed in frustration and fell on his back and just laid there. There had to be something more he could do. What was he missing?

Unable to think of anything, he let the Oboro fade and he just stared at the sky, as if expecting it to give him the answers he needed.

**

* * *

Sakura**

Sakura finished her self sparring in her room. She gave a small sigh of defeat as she sat down on her bed and put her head in her hands.

She knew she was doing well. She knew she should be proud of what she was accomplishing, but she wasn't. She knew that she wanted to test herself. See just how far her training had progressed her. Her thought process stopped at that.

She was a bit stunned at that thought. But then, she slowly smiled to herself. That must be what those two boys felt like. Why they so desperately wanted to fight each. They wanted to know just how good they were, and what better way to find out with than beating their own rival?

And now…Sakura was infected with that same feeling. And she had to admit…it was hard to ignore. She briefly wondered who her own rival would be? Ino? Tenten? Maybe even Naruto's girlfriend, Hinata? She couldn't help but laugh at herself. Her? Having a rival and both fighting just like boys did? She shook her head. Like that would ever happen!

Still, a sparring partner would be helpful to her now. She went through the brief list of possible candidates. She wasn't going to go ask _him_, Kakashi-sensei was busy watching Yukie…so that left…Naruto. She immediately felt a wave of hesitation. She wasn't sure how Naruto felt about her. She knew he didn't forget, and he would never forget her theft of his personal jutsu scrolls, but he had also been willing to let her show him the Haruno Sakura, not to mention that they had been on good terms since that time. Maybe…just maybe…he would agree.

Well…it's couldn't hurt to ask. She got off her bed, slipped on her sandals and walked out of the room. She first went down two doors and knocked softly on the door. No answer. "Naruto?" She asked loudly. "Are you there?" Still no answer. She backed away from the door. "Guess he's not here. Probably the mess hall then."

She walked down to the mess hall and didn't find him there either. Curious now, she walked up deck and began searching there. Nothing. She then walked towards the back of the ship and finally found him. He was lying on his back on the deck, looking directly at the sky. Sakura immediately became a little worried. Was he working on more of his jutsu? The last thing she wanted was him thinking she was spying on him. Softly, she started to back away.

"Where are you going?" Naruto suddenly asked, not moving his position.

Sakura stopped. She shouldn't be surprised. This was the number one unpredictable ninja after all. She shouldn't be surprised. Must be that nose of his. Softly, she spoke up. "Well…I was going to ask you something, but if you're busy…"

"I'm not at the moment," Naruto said, sitting up and turning around. "And I could use a break." He patted the spot next to him.

Sakura felt herself smile slightly as she walked over and sat down. Naruto then looked at her. "Alright, what's on your mind?"

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to spar with me."

Naruto fell on his back. Sakura felt slightly annoyed at that. Did he think that she was joking about this?

Naruto pulled himself up and dusted himself off. "Gomen about that, but…that was pretty much the last thing I expected to say."

"Is that a yes or no then?"

Naruto looked at her. That mask he usually wore was still in place, but Sakura could tell that he seemed genuinely confused about her request. "Why are you asking me?" Naruto said finally. "Wouldn't Sasuke…"

"_**He's busy.**_"

She could see Naruto jump back a bit at that. He stood up, stretched and said. "Ok. Let's do this then."

"Thanks, Naruto." Sakura said, standing up as well. "I owe you on this."

She could see Naruto's foxy grin appear and a sense of doom lingered over her. _Guess I'll be paying his next ramen bill…_ She shrugged. Oh well. She was getting what she wanted.

**

* * *

Sasuke**

Sasuke was in the bathroom, washing his face off. The cold water brought an immense relief as it touched his face, even as it passed the three scars over his right eye. He had just spent the last two hours working on the Shuurai and finally came to the point where he could do it without making any more of those stupid, amateur mistakes. If he could just concentrate better…

He shook his head as he splashed more water on his face, trying to forget his uneasiness. He reached over and shut off the fault, then grabbed a towel and dried his face. He then walked out of the bathroom and back towards the deck. As he did, his eyes casually scanned the hallway, just looking around. A stowaway on the ship, huh?

A stowaway who was after blood. Literally. Sasuke paused as he thought about that. What could anyone want to take a large amount of blood for? Sasuke had no answer and he knew that Kakashi and the others didn't either. What was this…freak's goal? Was it to just steal blood? That couldn't be it. There were more…fruitful places for the freak to do that. Scare the shit out of everyone? Sasuke shook his head at that. That didn't seem likely, as most of the group on the ship was still in the dark about him.

So then…what was his goal? Why take the blood? Sasuke gave a small groan of frustration as he rubbed his head. He'd think about it later. Right now, he had more important things to worry about.

He climbed to the top of the deck and gazed around. The movie crew was still working hard on the scene, where apparently Princess Gale, Burikinto, and Sukeakuro were giving Shishimaru a burial at sea. He decided to walk the other way, as the entire set was blocking his way to the front of the ship. Nor was he interested in walking through during a funeral scene. It was giving him some bad memories. Turning around, he walked the other way.

He reached the back and froze at what he saw. Sakura and Naruto were staring at each other, not moving, then Sakura moved fast. Much faster than he had ever seen her move before. Apparently, Naruto was just as surprised as her fist slammed into his face completely and sent him rolling back a bit. He gave a small laugh, jumped back up to his feet and rushed their pink haired teammate, throwing a left hook. Sakura blocked it, then throw her own punch, which Naruto easily caught with his free hand.

Sasuke wanted to pierce Naruto's heart with a Chidori. And that bastard Michy too, while he was at it. He then fought off that damned urge again. It felt stronger than ever now.

The more Sasuke looked at the sight, the more…angry he got. And the more he thought of that anger, the more confused he got. It was just the strangest thing. _What's wrong with me? Why should I care? They're just sparring! That's no big deal!_ Nevertheless, he felt anger rising with him as he clutched his right fist. He then felt a sharp pain in his neck, where that damned seal was located. The seal was starting to activate. He took a couple of deep breaths and stopped the process. He then turned around and walked way. His two teammates were sparring with each other and enjoying themselves while doing it. Who the hell cares! Not him!

The funeral scene was still going on, but this time, Sasuke didn't give a damn. He walked right through, much to the protesting of the actors and staff. Michy himself put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and tried to ask what was wrong. Sasuke calmly placed his hand on the man's chest and pushed him off the side of the boat into the ocean, and then shot a look that said 'anyone else?' After receiving a furious shake of the heads from everyone, he continued on and he felt strangely better. A little anyway.

Kakashi looked at the angry teenager walk off, as several people hurried to the side of the ship and lowered a rope to help the poor actor out of the water. Did Sasuke need a lecture now? He gave a small sigh, wondering what the problem could be. At least Sakura was behaving and acting normally.

* * *

One of the figures in the movie crew looked at the Uchiha storm off with expressed interest. Oh…things were getting _very _interesting. Very interesting indeed. Despite this form, his eyes were still sharp and the Uchiha's emotions were as clear as day as to what was bothering. At least for one such as he.

He had noticed the Uchiha going towards the back of the boat, where the figure knew Uzumaki and Haruno were currently at before storming back in a clear rage. So, Uchiha was angry that his two teammates, was he? Perfect. That would make his mission so much easier. He had thought that the Uchiha would be his typical self, emotionless, calm, and arrogant. But instead, the Uchiha was becoming easily flustered, angry, and envious. Though he had not seen what had happened, he could infer as much. Due to the fact that there was no yelling, or explosions, he knew that the Uchiha had not actually talked to either of his peers. And that meant it was highly likely that the Uchiha merely spied on the two and walked away before the other two noticed. He couldn't help but laugh mentally. That meant the Uchiha was angry over the simple fact that his two teammates were simply together. He could only imagine what chaos would had been unleashed if all three had actually interacted. If such a minor thing set the Uchiha off, the possibilities that offered were limitless.

But the time to act was not now. No, not as long as that _obstacle_ was in the way. No. He would wait. The opportunity will come.

Bakeru, the shapeshifter, allowed himself to grin outwardly as he refocused his attention on the movie scene.

* * *

(**Author's Note**). And so ends Chapter 4. All members of Team 7 are training, and poor Sasuke is getting angrier and angrier over reasons he can't understand himself. 

I must confess that I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter. It feels as if…something is missing. Specifically, the scene where Kakashi and Naruto talk about Naruto's attitude. But I've rewritten that twice and still not satisfied, so maybe I'm just overreacting.

I deliberately wanted to post this chapter today for Halloween, as it kinda fitted well into the whole theme behind. Though…I personally don't think I write horror, thriller and suspense very well, but it's the theme and intentions that counts, right?

Kizuato - scar.

Kokuzoku - traitor

Bakeru - (1) to appear in disguise; to take the form of; (2) to change for the worse; to corrupt; (round of applause to jared13000, who correctly guessed it!)

Also thanks to Tellemicus once again, he suggested several possibilities that could happen and I went with them. The main one being where the men were tied to the sails post for a prank. Though, the circumstances that lead to it were my own, but still a big thanks anyway!

No jutsu list this time. Sorry all.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him._


	5. Sasuke Snaps

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 5–Sasuke Snaps _

**(Author's Note)** Well people, I finally have a beta: paintball-gamer. So hopefully, the two of us can catch all the grammar and spelling mistakes from this point on. On a completely different note, Tellemicus has officially declared – in Chapter 1 of Chuuten – that this story is canon for his Legacy series. Cool!

**Naruto **

**A few minutes prior…**

Naruto felt himself roll on the ground as he crashed slightly into the wall behind him. He hadn't been expecting Sakura to move that fast…or hit that hard, for that matter. That had been harder than the time when Sakura 'beat' him back when she first showed him the Haruno Sakura. Obviously, Sakura's personal training had included a _lot_ more than just developing genjutsu.

Naruto allowed himself to laugh softly out loud. Who knew that Sakura of all people would be one to throw herself into hard training? If someone had told him that just a few months ago, Naruto would have laughed his head off. But now, it didn't seem nearly as funny. After all, he was the one on his ass, not Sakura.

He saw Sakura's slightly disapproving glance at his laugh. He didn't know what that was for, but if he were to guess, she probably thought he wasn't being serious about this, or that he was somehow mocking her. _Time to change that impression,_ he thought to himself Before Sakura could say anything, he jumped back on his feet and charged her. He threw her a left hook, aiming at her face and she calmly blocked that with a right outward block and then threw her own punch with her free hand.

This time, Naruto was expecting her speed difference and simply reached up and caught her punch easily. She didn't stop, though, merely bringing up a kick, followed by a back knuckle, which Naruto dodged by leaning back a bit. Immediately, Sakura spun around, and using the momentum, brought up her right foot and kicked Naruto on the shoulder with her heel. Naruto recoiled a bit, regained his ground, grabbed her ankle and pulled it forward. Sakura lost her balance and fell forward right into Naruto's fist. Not too hard, but enough.

Sakura's face connected with Naruto's fist and she fumbled backwards a bit, but she quickly regained her balance and resumed her stance.

That's when Naruto felt a sudden, dark surge. It was very faint and only there for a few seconds, but he felt it. What was that? It felt familiar, yet Naruto couldn't put his finger on it. He then glanced over his shoulder to try and see what it was.

Bad move. That exposed Naruto's closed left eye, and thus his blind spot, right in front of Sakura, who immediately took advantage of the opening, throwing a fierce right jab towards him.

Naruto felt himself fly through the chain of seals before he even knew what he was doing. Half a second before Sakura's punch made contact, he threw up a large amount of mud… right on top of her. Oops…

Sakura stopped immediately, mostly due to pure shock more than anything else. That was the only reason Naruto came up with as for why Sakura didn't continue her punch. There were several seconds of total silence between the two as Sakura looked down at herself. She then looked at Naruto and demanded, "Did you just throw up on me?!"

"Um…" Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. "Technically… I guess…" He quickly added, "It's not _that_ type of throw up, though; it's… well… mud," he finished lamely.

"Mud…" Sakura repeated the word slowly and sarcastically, clearly not believing him. "Right…"

Naruto gave a soft sigh. "Yes. Mud. It's one of my jutsu," he explained, as if trying to tell a four-year-old how to build a sandcastle; in other words, something that should be perfectly obvious to the said person. "It's so I can put up a wall of earth for defense."

Sakura was in the middle of a protest, but stopped when Naruto had said the word _earth._ "Wait," she started. "You mean… you can make Earth?!"

Naruto noted that he now had Sakura's full attention. She had practically shouted that last word. "Yes…" he said slowly. What was her deal? "What about it?"

At that question, Sakura looked nervous. "Um… well…" Naruto tapped his foot impatiently, so she finished. "I've… I've been studying a new jutsu… a doton jutsu… and… well… I haven't had any earth to practice with…" At that, she reached down and brushed some of it into her hands, studying it. "Going to have to wash up later either way," she added, mostly to herself.

Ah. Now Naruto got it. He then ran through the seals again and spat out a new batch of mud. He couldn't wait to see her reaction to this! As the mud gathered on the ground, Naruto bent down and pressed his hands against the earth, muttering "Doton: Doryuuheki no Jutsu." Immediately a ten foot wall erupted from the small amount of mud on the deck, right in between the two. Naruto felt himself grin at this and walked around the wall. He wasn't disappointed.

Sakura was gawking heavily at the sight. Her jaw dropped as far as it could go, her eyes were wide and she was vigorously pointing at the ground where the mud had been and the wall of earth right in front of her. Finally, she choked out "H-how…?"

"Through a jutsu, duh!" Naruto said cheerfully, even though he knew full well what she was indicating. "You'd need Earth to practice, right?" The word _practice_ rang through his mind. He should probably get back to his own training soon. He then crossed his fingers, muttered the words and created ten kage bunshins. "These guys'll help you whichever way you need them. They'll give you earth, sparring, whatever you need."

Now Sakura was clearly at a loss for words and Naruto felt he knew why. He was practically handing her everything she needed to complete whatever this mysterious jutsu was that she had in mind, as well as a few sparring partners. Part of the reason Naruto was doing all this was because his curiosity was climbing. The Haruno Sakura had been impressive and awesome, there was no denying that, and he wouldn't deny it anyway. But Sakura was now obviously working on some kind of doton jutsu and Naruto was very curious as to what she had in mind. The least he could was help her out a little bit.

Then she blew it. "I wish I could learn this…"

Suddenly, it seemed as if the atmosphere itself became darker and heavier with that innocent phrase. Sakura immediately realized what she had just said, and quickly covered her mouth, as if she had let out a disgusting swear word. She then shook her head fiercely, saying "I didn't mean that!" through her hands.

"I think I should get back to my own training now," Naruto said coldly. He then turned around and walked away. He could barely hear Sakura's 'Gomennasai' as he left. He didn't care. He walked a bit of a ways and came to the main boat area, where Michy/Sukeakuro was dripping wet for some odd reason. He didn't care at the moment. And he wasn't in the mood to deal with any people.

He then realized that he had just left his training spot, where Sakura was. He stomped his foot in irritation. Perfect. Now where the hell was he supposed to train?!

"Look up!" He heard Yukie shout. He looked at the scene. Princess Gale was standing beside Sukeakuro (Michy) and Burikinto (Ken), looking at the front of the boat and pointing vigorously to the sky. "The way is shown! The Rainbow guides us once again!"

Rainbow? Naruto looked up at where Yukie was pointing. He didn't see any rainbow. Guess that part was just going to be special effects or something. All he saw was the blue sky, some nice white, fluffy clouds and the sails of the boat. Nothing that…would…wait a second!

The sails! He could use the sails! No one was up there! He wasn't doing any extensive training right now anyway! He could use the sails, along with his Oboro, and have a nice private place to train! Perfect!

"Thanks, Yukie-san!" Naruto shouted out loud at the group. Several of them, including Yukie and Makino, looked like they were just struck in the face, though Kaijo grinned softly at that. There were several yells at him at him for interrupting the movie, but Naruto didn't care at the moment. And since he didn't feel like having them watch where he was going, he made the tora seal, took a deep breath and blew out a thick smokescreen. With it giving him plenty of cover, he easily made it to the first mast and ran up it, while hearing Makino's shouts of, "Did you just see that!? He just created a smokescreen! Without a smoke bomb!! Tell me you got that on the camera! TELL ME YOU GOT THAT ON THE CAMERA!!!"

"Um… Director Makino-sama… it's not really in the script…" he heard Kaijo began.

"WHO THE HELL CARES?!"

Naruto laughed to himself quietly as he got to the top of the mast and walked along the sails. Perfect spot indeed. The wind was just a gentle breeze, the sun was warm and not too bright, even the smell of the sea seemed greater up here. Now…what to work on now?

He briefly went over the possibilities again as he activated his Oboro. He was tempted to try those new Suiton and/or Fuuton jutsu that he had started working on last week, even though he hadn't practiced on them much; only about three days worth on the Suiton and only a day so far on the Fuuton. And those days had been off and on. He then shook his head. Well, neither of those were really an option at this point. Summoning here also wouldn't be a good idea. He had the Kunai Soufuu Atsu already done. Guess all that left trying to combine Nature and Shape manipulations.

He allowed himself to fall backwards, his feet clinging to the sail post and wound up upside-down. As he contemplated once again on how to proceed, he saw Sakura out of the corner of his eye, still working.

Anger swelled up inside of him again, but he quickly put it out of his mind. He didn't want to think about that. So he got out a scroll and began writing some notes on what he had learned so far on combining the two.

He did so for about an hour, still not getting any new results or inspiration. He also found himself unable to concentrate properly. He could still see Sakura training. Every now and then he saw a large amount of earth streaking across, or a new Earth wall emerging. What exactly it was she was trying to do, he couldn't tell. He also saw a familiar poof of smoke every once in a while, though that last one he saw got kicked in the groin, hard, and Naruto couldn't help but wince slightly at the thought. He swore… it was like he could feel it.

Finally, when he saw the fifth clone destroyed, distracting his thoughts yet again, he decided to allow his mind to rant and just get it out of his system. He still couldn't believe that Sakura had the nerve to suggest that he teach her one of _his_ jutsus! Especially after that stunt she pulled by stealing his jutsu scrolls!

Of course, that train of thought just led him to rant about baka-sensei's little lecture earlier. Like Hinata-chan would ever hurt on him purpose! That's what baka-sensei did after all, teaching Sasuke-teme his jutsu! And the other two were equally guilty! Why should he fucking forgive them!? Naruto knew that had been the older man's point, but why should he forgive someone when they didn't deserve it!? Sakura was a prime example! She had just asked to learn one of his jutsu that he created!

At that last word, Naruto froze, both mentally and physically. His face fell when he realized one very important and crucial fact: He _didn't_ create the Doryuuheki. Ero-sannin had taught him that one. That meant… the Doryuuheki wasn't his, right? Now that Naruto thought about it, wasn't the Doryuuheki a common jutsu that many knew? His stomach turned slightly the more he thought about it. If… if the Doryuuheki wasn't his… then… did he have the right to keep it to himself? It wasn't like the Kaze Wana, Kaze Kiwa, or any of the others he had specifically created, but… it was still something of his… wasn't it?

He gulped softly as he pictured himself in Sakura's position. She had told him she had a new jutsu to work on and that she needed Earth to do it. And he had just unwittingly showed her that he could produce exactly what she needed. If he had been in her position…would he have done the exact same thing she did? Maybe… just maybe… yes. But if that was true… then… it wasn't her fault this time? Was it his fault?

Naruto grabbed the sides of his head and yelled slightly in frustration. Too much thinking and too much of a damn conscience! He needed something, anything, to get his mind off of this! If even only for a few minutes! He briefly looked up and saw the sun high in the sky. It looked like it was almost noon. Maybe some nice ramen was exactly what he needed. He looked back at Sakura's position and saw that she had left the training area too. Maybe going after some lunch, or finally cleaning her shirt.

He stretched a bit and looked downward to get off the mast when he froze again. Carefully, he took a good look at what he was witnessing, and a grin slowly, but surely, rose on his face. PERFECT!

**

* * *

Sasuke**

**Approximately fifteen minutes earlier…**

"Katon: Kisou Karyuu!" Sasuke shouted when he finished the seals. He blew out the fire and watched it take form. It formed a dragon's head and started streaking at the Kage Bunshin he had created for the target. _Come on…come on…_Sasuke chanted mentally as he watched it go.

A few seconds later, the fire dragon seemed to stall for a split second, then it took an abrupt u-turn and headed straight for the real Sasuke. Again. _SHIT!_ Sasuke thought miserably. He braced himself, channeled his chakra into his hands, utilizing the fire element as much as he could, crossed his arms, and waited.

A split second before his own attack hit him, he lashed out, dispelling the Kisou Karyuu into nothing. Of course, that was only possible because he knew the mechanics of it and he didn't make it as powerful as it should have been. If it had been at full power, like the first time he used it, he would have been caught right in it and half burned. He took a few deep breaths as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked at his clone. "How many does that make?" he asked it.

"Total," the Sasuke bunshin answered, equally irritated. "Eight. That's out of ten. Only 20 percent success rate."

"How comforting," the original countered. "In a real fight, I won't be able to block."

The Kisou Karyuu was becoming more and more of a headache. It was supposed to be a simple method. Create a jutsu that locked on to the opponent's chakra signature and pursue it until it hit its target; except it was locking onto his_ own_ chakra signature. Sasuke sighed in frustration. He knew that using a kage bunshin wasn't the smartest idea if he wanted a different signature, but it was all he had to work with at the moment. But the Kisou Karyuu should still lock onto it, instead of himself. That was the whole damn point! Especially when it had locked onto the kage bunshin twice, but Sasuke was beginning to think that had happened due to sheer chance. What the hell was wrong with it?

He heard his stomach growl and the copy looked at him. "Time you went and took a break," it ordered, as it crossed its fingers and dispelled itself.

Sasuke shook his head. His own clone was berating him and telling him to take care of himself. That was just wrong. That had to be against one of nature's laws or something. He snorted in frustration as he considered what to do. It took a few seconds to realize what he needed, and it wasn't just food.

As much as he hated to admit it… he needed help. Something was seriously wrong with this jutsu and he didn't know what it was. He needed a second opinion. But there were only three possible options. Kakashi was the most obvious choice. He was Sasuke's sensei after all. Although, with the mission and the stowaway on board, Sasuke felt that Kakashi was going to be more focused on protecting Yukie anyway, or just tell him that part of his training would be figuring out his own problem.

Then there was Sakura. The thought of her name made his damn urge return, so he crossed that option out of his mind. No. That wouldn't do. He still didn't have a clue as to how to handle her, or what she wanted. So that left…

"Naruto…" He said the name like it was a curse. Though, when it came to original jutsus, Sasuke had to admit that Naruto just might be better than Kakashi in that field. But… he could just imagine the other boy's face when he realized that the Uchiha genius was looking to him for advice. He could already hear his mocking and arrogant tone.

Ten seconds of that changed his mind immediately. Screw it! There was no way in the seven hells that he would ask Uzumaki Naruto for help! Let lightning strike him dead before that happened!

Sasuke took a step forward and reached for his canteen when he heard a thunderous noise strike the ground immediately behind him. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck scorched. He froze for a few seconds, not wanting to believe what just happened. Slowly, in complete silence (even the ocean seemed deathly silent at this moment), he turned around and looked at the deck.

There was a black scorch mark there. The same type that came when lightning stuck something.

Sasuke involuntarily gulped as he looked up in the sky. It was a perfectly fine late morning; no sign of any dark clouds, much less a thunder storm or any other source of natural lightning in the sky. Maybe there really was a higher power up there…

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Alright…" He told the sky slowly. He couldn't believe this, much less what he was about to say. "I'll… ask… Uzu… Naruto… for… help…" Oh, how he wanted to rinse out his mouth!

Unbeknownst to Sasuke, Kaijo was yelling at two men who were handling expensive and delicate equipment. They had fumbled it and the machine overloaded, which produced an oversized electric surge shooting out of it. "YOU COULD HAVE SET THE SHIP ON FIRE!!!" Kaijo yelled as he pointed in the direction that surge at went, which he knew was where Sasuke trained, having been the one to recommend the spot.

"Calm down, Kaijo," Makino told his assistant director. Kaijo never yelled before. That was his job. "That was the most real looking bolt of lightning I've ever seen! Tell me we got that on camera!"

A few minutes later, Sasuke walked over to the movie set. Many people, including Michy, slowly backed away. Sasuke didn't give a damn at the moment. He just wanted to get this over with. He found Sandayuu, one of the few that weren't backing away and walked up to him. "Sandayuu…" He started. The older man glanced down at him. "Um…have you seen Naru…um…my teammates anywhere?" He managed to get out. Oh, he was HATING this!

"I believe that they're both in their rooms," Sandayuu answered. "Sakura-san was mentioning something about needing to clean up, while Naruto-san created this smoke screen out of his mouth and ran away, so I'm assuming that he went to his room as well."

"Thanks…" Sasuke grumbled, walking away before the other man could say anything. He started walking away when he felt a strong grip on his shoulder. Now what?! He quickly spun around and was about to yell, when he noticed _who_ was gripping his shoulder.

Kakashi.

"Sasuke," Kakashi said in a low, but forceful voice. "Is there something wrong?"

"Wrong!? What ever gave you the idea that there was something WRONG!?"

"I rest my case," Kakashi replied simply. He then crossed his arms. "Is there something you want to talk about?"

"Yes… no… it's not important!" Sasuke shouted. While he would have preferred to talk to Kakashi about this, he could feel the back of his hair burning slightly. Against his will, his eyes drifted up towards the sky. Oh, he just wanted help on a simple jutsu and he was getting the forces of the cosmic universe involved in this! He needed to kill something to relieve him of this. Where was that bastard Michy anyway?

Sasuke refocused his attention on Kakashi and realized that the man was still looking directly at him, waiting for an answer. Well…at least this time he couldn't use that cursed doton technique that Kakashi used at the training ground. He suppressed a sigh and said, in the calmest voice he could manage, "I'm fine. Just need to talk with my teammates about something."

Kakashi looked him directly in the eye, and Sasuke met his gaze. For several seconds, they merely locked gazes. During that time, Sasuke was certain that Kakashi was going to lecture again and he wasn't about to be caught off guard by some stupid jutsu, wires, or whatever else the copy nin could throw at him. Not this time.

"Very well," Kakashi said, backing off and going back to his usual position of watching Yukie. Sasuke felt a small relief flood into him. Apparently, not _all_ of the cosmic universe was plotting against him.

Wanting to get this over with as soon as possible, Sasuke just stormed down the stairways, hardly bothering with formalities and practically knocking over the few people that were in the hallways. He came up to the row of rooms and slammed the door open, yelling "NARU…" His jaw dropped and he lost his voice.

It wasn't Naruto in the room. It was Sakura.

Completely naked.

His mind went on warp drive. What the hell!? Wasn't this NARUTO'S FUCKING ROOM!?! WHAT THE HELL was _SAKURA_ DOING IN HERE!? Did he take a wrong turn!? WHY WAS SHE NAKED!? NONONONONONONONONO!!! This was _NOT_ what was SUPPOSED to be HAPPENING!! THIS _COULDN'T_ BE HAPPENING!!!

He saw Sakura give a small smile at him, and blushing a little, making no move to cover herself and giving him a complete eye full. "You like what you see?"

What kind of a question was THAT!?! Shouldn't she be SCREAMING, OR MOVING, OR PUNCHING… OR… OR… OR SOMETHING!?!?! What was with that proud smile!? What did she think he was?! And why was it so hot…Sasuke felt dread come when he realized that he was touching his cheek and that…oh no…his face was red. HE WAS ACTUALLY _BLUSHING_!!! NONONONONONO!!! This was all wrong!!! UCHIHA SASUKE DOES _NOT_ BLUSH!!!

Sakura giggled slightly and took a small step forward, "Don't be so shy, Sasuke-kun," she said in a strangely seductive voice that he had never heard her use before.

Shy? SHY!? SHOULDN'T _SHE_ be the one that's freaking SHY!? He wasn't the one butt naked! And… oh Kami… why was his stupid heart beating so hard!? AND WHY COULDN'T HE PULL HIS EYES OFF OF HER!?! Was this supposed to be some form of revenge, or punishment… or… he didn't know!! All he knew was that he felt light-headed, hot, his heart felt like it was about to explode out of his chest and he was completely unable to move. Especially with the way she said his name…

Said… his… name…

WAIT A SECOND!!!!

"NARUTO!!!" Sasuke roared, throwing a punching and hitting 'Sakura' on the face hard. "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!"

The figure went rolling back and crashed into the wall. 'Her' hand started rubbing the part of the face where he struck until there was a small puff of smoke. Seconds later, the henge itself was dropped and Naruto was rubbing the same spot, giggling softly. "Well…" He said in between giggles as he looked at his hand, probably for blood. "I wasn't expecting that." He then looked unable to control himself any longer and burst out laughing. "OH MAN…THAT WAS PERFECT!!! YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN YOUR FACE!!! I KNEW A GOOD PRANK WOULD BE JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED!!!"

Sasuke was now beyond pissed, not even able to form any words at the moment. He was too busy vibrating with anger and taking in all of what had just happened. Here he was, about to come and shallow his pride to ask _Naruto_ for help and he goes and pulls that stupid prank!?!

Naruto wasn't done yet. "So…Sasuke…how was the Oiroke no Jutsu: Sakura Sutairu?!" he asked in between laughs.

There comes a time when a person snaps, when they continue to be stressed out more and more, or simply due to uncontrollable anger from a number of small issues. Whichever the case, it happens. Everyone is liable to have it happen to them. For Sasuke, who was already stressed out over his failures with the Kisou Karyuu, his amateurish mistakes with the Shuurai, and his issues with Sakura, this little prank of Naruto's was that breaking point. He snapped.

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. Before he even knew what he was doing, a small fireball formed in his hand. The Faiatama. Screw Itachi! Screw Michy! Naruto was dead! Pure and simple! Sasuke needed this! He then threw it at the laughing Naruto.

Naruto saw it at the last second and leapt aside, as the fire ball struck the pitcher on the dresser, destroying it immediately. Naruto immediately stopped laughing, and faced the Uchiha. "WATCH IT, TEME!!!"

Sasuke didn't. He sprinted forward and hit Naruto right in the face, making him crash into the wall. Sasuke didn't even give Naruto a chance to recover. He just ran up and started hitting Naruto in the stomach again and again.

Naruto snarled, brought his hands together and slammed them down on the Uchiha's back. Sasuke felt himself fall to the deck, where he braced himself on all fours. Then Naruto's foot meet Sasuke's face and sent him rolling all the way to the other side of the room. Sasuke's Sharingan snapped on, and he noticed that Naruto had already formed his Kaze Kiwa and was sprinting straight towards him. Hell no! Using his Sharingan as a guide, Sasuke sidestepped the attack, put his foot in front of Naruto's, and grabbed the part of Naruto's arm that _wasn't_ encased in deadly wind. He then rotated his body and threw the other boy.

Naruto went soaring through the air, his Kaze Kiwa splintered the door to his room, and he crashed on the hallway floor, yelling 'KUSO!' rather loudly. Sasuke rushed after the other boy, adrenaline rushing to his head. He could feel his excitement growing.

Sasuke continued his rush towards Naruto, his Kaze Kiwa already dispersed. Instead of pulling out another of his jutsus, Naruto jumped to his feet and threw a right hook at Sasuke. Sasuke immediately slid down and delivered a fierce kick to Naruto's jaw, sending him upward. Immediately, Sasuke jumped up after him, intending to follow through with the rest of his Shishi Rendan.

"NOT THIS TIME!!" he heard Naruto yell. Looking down, he saw Naruto rotating in the air to face him, his arm once again covered by spiraling winds. Unlike last time, it wasn't focused and sharp, but widespread and blunt, and the winds were much more intense.

The Tatewaru.

Oh SHIT!!!

Naruto's fist then slammed into Sasuke's gut.

**

* * *

Kakashi**

Kakashi was at his usual spot on deck, more into his book than actually watching the scene being filmed. Things were quite peaceful at the moment.

That's when he felt Naruto's and Sasuke's chakra signatures flare up.

Kakashi closed his eye in slight irritation. Spoke too soon. He put his book away and looked around. He sensed no other chakra signatures, foreign or otherwise. Those two were acting up because they found the stowaway, right?

His question was answered also immediately afterwards. Right behind where Princess Gale was acting, the deck exploded and Sasuke's form went shooting upward. A split second later, Naruto went soaring towards his teammate, his Tatewaru still active. Not even waiting for either himself or Sasuke to land, Kakashi watched as Naruto attempted to hit Sasuke with his jutsu.

Now Kakashi let out a frustrated sigh. Those two were fighting again? Didn't they ever stop? Couldn't they have at least waited until they got outside and not destroy the boat? Was that too much to ask? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the entire cast and crew now focused entirely on the fight, with Makino shouting vigorously to get it on camera and Kaijo just looking appalled at the sight.

Kakashi quickly uncovered his left eye, exposing his own Sharingan. Just in time, as Sasuke was flying though a set of seals. Most likely one of his Katons. And that just wouldn't do. Not with the ship right below him and a good chance of hitting it. He sped towards the two boys just as Sasuke was about to breath out his fire and Naruto's punch about to connect. He grabbed Sasuke's ankle, and Naruto's left hand. "If you two are going to fight…" Kakashi began sternly as he turned around and threw them over the side of the ship into the ocean, "…do it out there!"

He heard the two boys yell out in surprise, then after a few seconds, went back to clobbering each other, even though they were still soaring. Kakashi shook his head at the sight, not sure whether to be impressed or annoyed at the sight. He then turned back to the movie crew, waving lazily. "Gomen about…" He stopped and slouched when he realized that not one of them was looking at him. They had all ran to the side of the ship and continued to watch the fight. Makino was barking orders for the cameras to get in position, get proper lighting on the set and que up the microphones to pick up the sound. Several people were even placing bets on the winner, with Ken and Yukie betting on Sasuke and Michy and Hidero betting on Naruto. _It's like I'm not even here…_Kakashi thought miserably. _How depressing._

He then walked towards the side of the ship as well, hoping that no more damage would happen to it, closing his left eye as he did.

**

* * *

Naruto**

Naruto and Sasuke continued to punch and kick each other even as they splashed into the ocean. Immediately, they separated and reappeared at two different ends. Naruto's eye focused on Sasuke as he flew through his seals again, getting ready to produce the Enmaku. He then noticed that the seals were slightly different this time. When Sasuke finished, he yelled "Raiton: Shuurai no Jutsu!"

_RAITON!?_ Naruto thought miserably. _What happened to the Katons?!_ That brief moment cost Naruto. Sasuke's head jerked forward as he let loose a medium-sized lightning bolt from his mouth, to which Naruto was a second too slow in dodging. It caught him right in the left shoulder, and due to the fact that he was wet all over, he immediately felt the electricity all over him. As such, he let out a fierce scream of pain.

"_**That does it!"**_ Naruto shouted, eye snapping open and chakra increasing dramatically. Even the people on the ship could feel it, though not one of them understood what it meant, aside from Kakashi. He quickly activated his Oboro, then summoned twenty Kage Bunshins. He swung his arm forward and shouted "_**Attack!!"**_

The blonds ran forward, several of them creating the Kaze Kiwa, others simply readying weapons. Some even dove under the water. Sasuke jumped up, formed the seals and yelled: "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!" And blew out a barrage of fireballs. Several of the Narutos were destroyed, about eight in all, but there were still plenty more. Sasuke found himself forced on the defensive, dodging Narutos, winds, and kunai. Now…which one was the real one? He destroyed two more when four more jumped from the water. The first one yelled "_**U**_!"

That one caught him in the chest, with the second one striking his stomach, yelling "_**ZU**_!"

He caught the third one and swung it into the fourth, making them both vanish. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that a Naruto – the original one – was right next to him. Naruto smirked about it himself as he grabbed a kunai.

From Sasuke's point of view, he could see Naruto flash through a series of one handed seals. About five in all. Due to that damned Oboro, he couldn't tell what they were, but that last one seemed… different. Like it was new.

That curiosity cost him as Naruto yelled "_**Kunai Soufuu Atsu!**_" Immediately, a burst of air, which seemed to drill at the beginning, went hurling straight towards Sasuke and struck him in his already sore gut. Sasuke then went spiraling downward, screaming in pain, and once again crashed into the ocean. Naruto began gloating as he slowly fell back downward. "_**HA HA! That's right! That's what you get! HA HA! Payback's a bitch, isn't it!?"**_

On the boat, there were several large gasps. "T-that move…" Kaijo stuttered.

"That was the Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu," Yukie said dryly, trying to keep her voice level and uncaring, when in reality, she was the most in shock. After all…that was _her_ attack.

Kakashi merely smiled slightly. Naruto had done it again. _What will you do now, Sasuke?_

The answer was immediate. A new dark surge exploded, making everyone in the area – shinobi and otherwise – feel slightly uneasy and nauseated. The water exploded as Sasuke, with the first level of his curse seal activated, shot himself in the air, Chidori activating the moment he left the water.

Naruto gritted his teeth, forming the Rasengan in his hand. As he fell, and Sasuke 'soared', they met and clashed in midair. "SUPERB!!!" Makino shouted happily, with a thunderous roar of agreement.

That's when Sasuke vanished in a puff of smoke. Naruto's eyes widened. _A Kage Bunshin!_ As the smoke dispersed, he saw another Sasuke finishing another set of seals. _SHIT! _Naruto thought miserably. _The bastard sent up his bunshin first, and then followed behind it in its blind spot…WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT!?_

"**Katon: ****Goukakyuu no Jutsu!**" Sasuke shouted. This time, Naruto wasn't able to block and took the fire attack point blank. As he screamed in pain, he felt Sasuke's ax kick hit him on the head and sent him crashing into the ocean now.

"Yes! Yes!" Makino shouted happily. "Now _that_ is A-ranked material! And we're not even using special effects!"

Sasuke landed on the ocean, using chakra to keep himself up, already preparing his next jutsu. Naruto finally had enough! He just got burned and electrocuted all over again! Just like the time with Kabuto-teme, and once was enough! He started his seals underwater. When he re-emerged on the surface, he heard Sasuke shout "**Katon: Kisou Karyuu!**"

"_**Suiton: Ijoufu Suiryuudan!**_" Naruto shouted in response.

The two dragons shot forward. Naruto felt himself grin. There was no way that Sasuke's little fire could stand up to his. Not only did he have the elemental advantage, but his was a whole lot more powerful. First it would extinguish that little flame, then hit Sasuke for some sweet payback!

Things didn't go as planned, though. Naruto saw the two attacks race towards each other, then seconds before they clashed, the fire dragon suddenly took a complete u-turn and went back towards Sasuke. _Huh?_ Naruto thought, confused. He could hear even the people on the boat gasp in confusion. _Oh well, who cares!_ He then poured a lot more chakra into the attack to make sure it would continue, in the process making it wild and nearly out of control. After all, he had the ocean itself as a fuel source and Naruto wasn't in the mood to hold back.

He watched as Sasuke gave out a frustrated groan and jumped back to avoid his own fire attack. Then the Ijoufu Suiryuudan came racing from the top, forcing Sasuke to roll to the side. Then the Kisou Karyuu spun around again and came after Sasuke. Sasuke was forced to jump into the air, then twist in midair to avoid the Ijoufu Suiryuudan again. It was clear that it was taking everything he had just to dodge, let alone counterattack.

Naruto felt his smile explode at the thought. Yes! Victory was his! Take that teme! Although, even as he watched, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little confused. Why would Sasuke's own attack keep on going after him? He watched as Sasuke was hit by a portion of the Ijoufu Suiryuudan and sent crashing into the ocean. The Kisou Karyuu spun around again and came streaking towards the Uchiha, with Sasuke growing more and more frantic, and the Ijoufu Suiryuudan came at the front. And this time… Sasuke wouldn't be able to dodge… and Sasuke knew it.

The thought of Sasuke being trapped immediately shifted Naruto's mental victory chant into overdrive. All right! He got Sasuke now! Payback was gonna be sweet! But then, suddenly…

"Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

"Doton: Daichi Kobura no Jutsu!"

Naruto looked at the source; Kakashi had cast the suiton, while Sakura was casting the doton. Wait… Sakura!? Then he got it. That must have been the jutsu Sakura had been working on. Immediately, a normal water dragon dashed out and collided with the Kisou Karyuu, extinguishing it, while a giant cobra made of earth and of similar size to the water dragon collided with the Ijoufu Suiryuudan. Though it had the elemental advantage, it was clearly no match for it, but it did stall it for a few seconds. During those few seconds, Kakashi came running by and pulled Sasuke out of the way as the Ijoufu Suiryuudan shattered the Daichi Kobura and slammed into the ocean again. Angrily, Naruto yelled at Kakashi "_**INTERFERING AGAIN, KOKUZOKU!?"**_

"I think that's more than enough," Naruto heard his sensei's voice from behind him. Naruto turned around and looked to see a second Kakashi behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sasuke flushed with embarrassment, no doubt from having to be saved. Both boys were about to yell at their sensei, but stopped when they heard it.

It was a loud roar of applause. Naruto, an embarrassed Sasuke, the Kakashis, and Sakura all looked. All the movie cast and crew were cheering. The only one who wasn't was Yukie; she was trying to stare off into space.

"GREAT FIGHT!"

"THAT WAS INTENSE! GREAT JOB!"

"SPLENDID! WE COULD ALL FEEL THE DRAMA AND PASSION IN IT!"

"NOT BAD, BRATS! NOT BAD AT ALL!!"

Michy was also congratulating Sakura on her move, gently patting her on the shoulder and making her beam, while several people were arguing about who won the fight, trying to collect their winnings.

"Perfect!" Makino shouted. "You Konoha shinobi are truly gifted in your talents! That was the best fight I've ever seen! And with no special effects to enhance it either!" He then slammed a fist into his palm. "It's decided…you're all in the movie now! Welcome aboard!"

**

* * *

**

Omake! 

(Author's Note) Paintball-gamer has asked to include his own special brand of omakes at the end of these chapters and I figured why not. So, here's the first one. Remember, ALL credit for this goes entirely to paintball-gamer himself. Please leave a small note in your reviews on how you liked this.

Naruto surfaced from the water, only to see Sasuke going through seals again. "Hold it!" shouted Naruto, holding up his hand in a 'halt' postion. Sasuke immediately stopped his seals, his curiosity momentarily overtaking his rage. "I know how to settle this quickly!" continued Naruto. "How?" asked Sasuke, his patience rapidly waning.

Naruto smirked, then said, "A game of Rock, Paper, Scissors! Agreed?" Sasuke nearly face-vaulted into the water at that, but managed to keep his balance. He thought for a minute, then replied "Agreed." At that, Naruto continued to look casual, but inside, his grin was positively **evil…**

_Flashback_

_Naruto was exhausted from his training for the day, so he went to his room in the cabin and flopped onto his bed. He began thinking about random things regarding his jutsus, which led to him thinking about how certain elements beat other elements while being weak against a certain other one, which for some reason led him to thinking about Rock, Paper, Scissors. __**'I know that scissors cut paper and rock smashes scissors, but how the hell does paper beat rock? What, does it magically wrap around rock to leave it immobile? In which case, why can't it do it to scissors? Is paper even any good against ANYTHING?'**__ He continued to mull this over in his head, when suddenly, he had an idea. A sinister grin quickly took over his face as he began chuckling evilly._

_End Flashback_

"OK, ready?" said Naruto as both he and Sasuke held out their fists. "Rock, Paper, SCISSORS!" Naruto held out rock… but Sasuke had chosen paper.

"Ha! Paper beats rock! I win, loser!" gloated Sasuke. He continued to smirk, until…

WHAM!!!

Naruto punched him in the face with the very same fist he used to form rock, causing Sasuke to fall on his back.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I thought paper would protect you, DUMBASS!!!" said Naruto, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Then he burst out laughing as everyone watching from the boat sweatdropped at the display, except Makino, who said "Did you get that on camera? Tell me you got that on camera!"

(Credit goes to paintball-gamer for creating this omake)

* * *

(**Author's Note**) And so Naruto and Sasuke ended up fighting…again. Only this time, they, along with Kakashi and Sakura, have been officially offered a place in the movie itself. How will everyone react to that? Some might say that it's common sense for them not to have started fighting in Naruto's room like they did. I'm not one of them. After all these two started fighting in a hospital room when they were still injured. Common sense doesn't mean as much with these two when they fight, IMO. 

Well, this chapter overall gave me a lot of trouble. Wasn't entirely sure if Naruto was in character during the opening scene, such as him showing off his jutsu and even going as far as he did to help Sakura with her training, but I figured by this time, he wouldn't mind so much. The fight itself was practically guaranteed to happen and Tellemicus offered several interesting possibilities for it. In the end though, I just let the fight write itself. Also, I was curious to see how well I did with handing a fight myself, as the fight scenes in Legacy are top quality and as such, a bit difficult to meet their standards.

Hmm…Sakura helped save Sasuke…wait, she's supposed to be angry at him right? Why would she help him? Curious, wouldn't you say? Heh heh

Jutsu used in this chapter.

**Enmaku no Jutsu**--_Smokescreen_// An incomplete katon jutsu that surrounds the immediate area around the user with a dense cloud of smoke. This jutsu is used mainly for escaping enemies or for guerrilla fighting tactics, which depends heavily on keen senses of smell and hearing. This jutsu, however, will dissipate gradually over time as the smoke clears or with even the gentlest breeze. (upper D-Class Ninjutsu) Original technique created by Tellemicus

**Oiroke no Jutsu: Sakura Sutairu**--_Sexy Technique: Sakura Style_// Created on a whim by Naruto due to the stress he was experiencing earlier. It's simply a modification of Naruto's Oiroke no Jutsu, using Sakura as a basis instead of his normal version. Used when Naruto wants to target _specific_ people (a.k.a.: Sasuke). (E-Class Ninjutsu)

**Katon: Faiatama no jutsu**--_Fire Release: Fire Ball_//A simpler version of the Goukakyuu no Jutsu. Rather than blown out of the mouth, it's concentrated into the palms of the user's hands, which is the easiest place to mold chakra. It is much weaker than the Goukakyuu, but ideal for beginners to learn, as well as for spooking a retreating enemy by these hand-thrown projectiles. And like many Katon jutsus, the power of this jutsu is that the more chakra used in it can make it even more powerful. (High D-Class ninjutsu) (Named by Ultra Sonic 007) Original technique created by Tellemicus

**Fuuton: Kaze Kiwa no Jutsu**--_Air Release: Wind Edge_/ A concentration of spinning chakra and wind around the person's arm. The speed of the spinning chakra winds added to the amount of chakra used gives it its blade-like capabilities. The Kaze Kiwa depends heavily on an excessive amount of chakra to keep active and 'sharp' else the jutsu is severely weakened. However, this jutsu has yet to be defeated. (C-Class Ninjutsu) Original technique created by Tellemicus

**Fuuton: Tatewaru--**_Wind Release: Shieldbreaker//_A much more powerful version of the Kaze Kiwa. The chakra requirement of this jutsu is so extreme that it is easily visible to the naked eye. But what the Tatewaru gains in strength over the Kaze Kiwa, it loses in finesse. The Tatawaru is better used as a battering ram than a blade or drill. However, because the strength of the Tatewaru is so great, Naruto easily loses his concentration whenever he hits something with it. The loss of concentration causes the winds to break loose and usually results in sending the victim or whatever was hit flying a great distance away. (upper B-Class Ninjutsu) Original technique created by Tellemicus

**Raiton: Shuurai no Jutsu**--_Lightning Release: Lightning Strike//_ Sasuke's first original Raiton, modeled after his standard Goukakyuu. Like the Goukakyuu, he gathers a large amount of chakra in his throat, using Lightning as opposed to Fire. Unlike the Goukakyuu, which launches a mass of flames together, the Shuurai launches one simple lightning bolt. The damage is approximately the same as that of the Goukakyuu. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Sasuke)

**Fuuton: Kunai Soufuu Atsu**--_Wind Release: Kunai Blast Pressure_// Modeled after Yukie/Gale's Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu, and created using Kaze Kiwa as a base. Naruto forms the Kaze Kiwa standard seals – one handed – then adds a fifth one, uniquely designed for this attack: the Kitsune. Naruto forms a mini Kaze Kiwa around the kunai itself, then makes it recoil on itself to launch it, similar to a spring. Because of this, Naruto was to sacrifice some of the Kaze Kiwa's power, thus making the total damage done only about 70 percent of the Kaze Kiwa. In appearance, it looks very similar to the Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu, with the very front of it the drill of the Kaze Kiwa, thus making the victim feel like they were hit with a lesser Kaze Kiwa, as opposed to a blast of air. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto)

(A/N: I had this move thought out before Chuuten said that Naruto didn't have much talent on seals. Seeing how Naruto created a unique seal for the Sarutobi no Jutsu, the Fushichou, I figured I could squeeze the Kitsune by this time)

**Kitsune** seal--Fox seal// A unique one handed seal created by Naruto to help with the Kunai Soufuu Atsu

**Katon: Kisou Karyuu**--_Fire Release: Homing Fire Dragon//_ Currently Sasuke's fastest ninjutsu attack. Taking the form of a dragon made of fire, the Kisou Karyuu is designed to lock on to an opponent's chakra signature and seek it out until it hits, causing significant damage if it manages to hit. Even if it fails, it provides an ample distraction for Sasuke to attack using another means. The Kisou Karyuu can last about thirty seconds before it burns itself out. Unfortunately, due to a problem that Sasuke does not yet understand, the Kisou Karyuu is locking on to his _own_ chakra signature about 80 percent of the time, thus making it most dangerous to Sasuke himself. Classified as incomplete at this time (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Sasuke)

**Suiton: Ijoufu Suiryuudan**--_Water Release: Great God Water Dragon_//A Suiryuudan no Jutsu with nearly twenty times the amount of chakra needed. It takes extremely high chakra reserves and control to wield this jutsu without it falling apart. (S-Rank Ninjutsu) (Naruto) Original technique created by Tellemicus

**Doton: Daichi Kobura no Jutsu**--_Earth Release: Ground Cobra_// A doton ninjutsu studied, and used by Sakura. After many hours upon hours of studying, plus a little amount of actual practice, Sakura was able to use this jutsu, though it should be noted that it's still just a rough version. It is most similar to the standard Suiryuudan, only being compromised of Earth, instead of water and taking the form of a snake, as opposed to a dragon. Like the Suiryuudan, it requires precise chakra control and high amounts of chakra, which means that at Sakura's current level, she can only use it once or twice before becoming severely drained. (Mid B-Class Ninjutsu) (Sakura)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him._


	6. Auditions and Pandemonium

**Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version**

_Chapter 6–Auditions and Pandemonium _

**(Author's Note) **First thing I want to address was the seal issue from last chapter. I goofed. I admit it. When I read that line from Chuuten, handseals were automatically the first thing that came to mind. I didn't even think about sealing jutsu and whatnot. Oops. Well, I'm only human.

On a second note, there was a question of how Sakura had enough earth to perform the Daichi Kobura. To that, I answer that it came from the Naruto clones. As Naruto said, the Kage Bunshin would spar, perform the Doryuuheki, and whatever else she needed during her training. In addition, I tried to show that there were large amounts of earth being flung around with the line: "He could still see Sakura training. Every now and then he saw a large amount of earth streaking across, or a new Earth wall emerging." As such, there was plenty of leftover earth for her to use. If that wasn't clear, then I apologize.

**Naruto**

"_**SAY WHAT!?"**_ Naruto yelled, more out of surprise than anything else.

"I want you…" Makino exclaimed happily, pointing dramatically at him as if he were a professional recruiter for the military, "for this movie!"

"Really?!" Sakura asked happily.

"**HELL NO!"** Sasuke shouted.

"Why not?" Kakashi said, shrugging. Before either boy could start protesting, the Kakashis said "Why don't we all get back on the boat? At least you two didn't destroy it. And power down while you're at it."

Both Naruto and Sasuke let their powers fade as one Kakashi poofed out of existence. As they all got back on deck, Naruto forcefully pointed a finger in Kakashi's and even Sakura's directions. "Why the hell did you two interfere!?"

Kakashi sighed in annoyance, while Sakura quickly said 'Gomen'. Before either one could add a justification, Sasuke spoke up. "It doesn't matter," he said firmly.

As one, both Naruto and Kakashi looked at the Uchiha, confused. "It doesn't?" they both said. _What brought this up?_ Naruto wondered. He would have thought that Sasuke would be equally upset, especially since he'd gotten his ass saved, making him look like a weakling and that he couldn't hold his own.

"No. It doesn't." He watched as Sasuke then faced the other two team members, more Sakura than Kakashi. He made several awkward gestures, like he was choking. Finally, he managed to get out, "T-thank… you… Kakashi… Sakura…" Sasuke looked like he wanted to puke. Kakashi gave a small smile in response, while Sakura…

"Are we really in the movie!?" Sakura demanded at Makino.

Sasuke looked like he had just been struck hard across the face (He was even rubbing his left cheek), while Naruto felt his own jaw drop slightly. What!? Sasuke thanking them!? Sakura completely ignoring Sasuke!? That never happened! That went against the very fabrics of reality! Had Armageddon come already!? Was the sky on fire!? Well… obviously the sky _wasn't_ on fire, but still! Sasuke just went and thanked them and his girlfriend was ignoring him? What the hell was going on!?

Now that Naruto thought about it… hadn't Sakura used a creepy, angry tone earlier when he asked why she hadn't asked Sasuke to spar with her? Just what was going on with these two? "Um… Sakura-chan," Naruto said cautiously, "The teme just thanked you… you heard that, right?"

"What of it?" Sakura asked coldly.

OK… now Naruto was completely lost. Just what was going on here!? Sasuke looked like someone had turned to him to stone and completely shattered him, while Naruto's felt himself becoming completely confused.

She then immediately turned her attention back to the director, looking quite happy. "So we're in!? We get to act alongside Yukie-san and Michy-sama!?"

Naruto and Sasuke's faces fell at that.

"That's right!" Makino answered happily

"NO WAY!!!" both boys shouted.

"Why not?" Makino responded happily, as if not hearing them right or not understanding their tone. He seemed completely out of it and that he was hearing no one but himself.

"I've got training to do!" they both yelled. "And there's no way I would want to be in this stupid movie!"

"Now, now," Makino said, completely ignoring their protests. He began patting the boys on the heads, like a loving grandfather. "Think of all the possibilities and opportunities it gives you. Fame. Fortune. Showing off to the girls."

"WHAT'S _THAT_ SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" Naruto and Sasuke demanded.

"Come now," Makino said in a very obvious voice. "Two strapping young lads like yourselves must have had your eyes on the girls for a while. All young boys do. I imagine that each of you have your eyes on a special girl already."

"Not true!" Naruto said automatically, while Sasuke looked away, his right hand grabbing his left hard.

Makino turned around, giving the boys his back. While out of their eyesight, he gave a small devil's grin as he spoke in a fake voice of sorrow. "Yes… I suppose you two are completely hopeless when it comes to girls, so much that you wouldn't be able to show off without making complete fools of yourselves, eh, Naruto-san?"

"What's that supposed to mean!? Hinata-chan and I get along perfectly!"

"HA! SO YOU _DO_ HAVE A GIRL!"

Naruto lost his voice, his hands shaking like he wanted to strangle something. Or someone. Makino had just baited him… and he fell for it! "What about him!?" Naruto pointed at Sasuke, changing the subject.

"Leave me out of this!" Sasuke retorted.

"It's perfectly obvious who he's infatuated with."

That wasn't the answer either boy expected. "It is?" they both asked.

Kakashi stepped forward. "Hate to break up the audition, but perhaps we should continue this after they've been looked at and gotten out of those wet clothes, wouldn't you say?" Several stomachs growled, including Naruto's and Sasuke's. "And perhaps a bit of lunch while we're at it."

"I agree," Sandayuu said, clasping his hands together. He then walked to both boys and began shuttling them away. Naruto saw Makino approach Sakura and say something about 'having lunch with an aspiring young actress.' He didn't see Sakura's response, but he guessed she took him up on his offer. After all, she was excited about this.

He then heard Sasuke mutter something about 'hate', 'kill', and 'not infatuated' as Sandayuu led them to the makeshift infirmary.

**

* * *

Kakashi**

Back a ways, Makino was looking eagerly at Kakashi. "And I suppose you have no problem with this?" Sakura had left to go to the mess hall already.

"None at all," the copy nin assured him. "It could be something that helps all three of them grow and a rare opportunity to discover other things in life. If nothing else, I'll order it as part of their mission."

Makino laughed. "That won't be necessary. An actor of their own free will is much better. I'll have Sandayuu talk to them. It _is_ his area of expertise, after all." Kaijo, on the other hand, looked uncomfortable. "Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean… their earlier fight…"

"Was dramatic, tense, action-packed, and damn exciting?" Makino supplied.

"I was going to say dangerous, unnecessary, and problematic," Kaijo answered. He gestured around. "Look at what they did to the ship, for instance."

"A small price to pay for cinema and its Oscars!" Makino yelled enthusiastically. He then pointed in a random direction. "You two! You clean up this mess!"

"WHAT!?"

"I don't think you have to worry too much," Kakashi added lazily. "It's not like they were serious or anything."

That statement got mixed reactions. Makino looked like someone who had just received a pure bar of gold, while Kaijo paled. "What? You mean doing all those fire dragon thingies, water dragon thingies, having lightning and spinning orbs in their hands, both having those uneasy auras around them that want to make me throw up… ISN'T SERIOUS!?"

"That's right," Kakashi said, with a hint of pride. "Isn't it wonderful to know that all three ("ALL _THREE_?!" Kaijo spluttered) have so much potential that they'll get even stronger in the near future?"

Kaijo looked like he wanted to cry, while Makino looked like Kakashi just handed him every Academy Award there was. He then began ranting intently that there was no way that they _weren't _going to be in this movie, that it would be the best ever, and so on.

_What's their deal?_ Kakashi asked himself.

**

* * *

Makino**

Makino walked into the mess hall and allowed himself to observe the surroundings for a few moments. It didn't take long for him to find the pink-haired kunoichi. She was off by herself, looking over several pieces of paper. As Makino walked forward, he saw that most of it was a copy of the movie script (_When did she get that?_ he wondered) held in her left hand, and some other scrolls off to her right side. Makino smiled at himself. The girl was eating, researching, and studying all at once. She was nothing but dedicated.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," Makino offered. The girl didn't so much as flinch. She merely shook her head, her eyes never leaving the script, and gestured at the empty seat across from her. Makino sat down. "I've been trying to familiarize myself with the script," she started.

He cut her off with a laugh. "Don't you worry about that, young lady. That's the _old_ script. We'll be able to accommodate you and your peers quite easily through the cinema's most traditional and successful method."

"Procedure?" Sakura guessed.

"Improvisation."

Sakura just looked at him as if he was crazy. That didn't bother Makino at all. He got those looks from Kaijo all the time. It didn't bother him then and it wasn't going to bother him now. If there was one thing he learned while in the movie business, it was that you don't carve a path in stone. You make one in mud. Be flexible, be willing to take chances, take opportunities when they came, be willing to get dirty, let the natural flow of things come as it would and don't fight it. Improvising was Makino's greatest strength, and his favorite card to play.

He placed his food down and took a few careful bites. The pink-haired girl watched him, and then asked, "Just one plain bowl of soba?"

"An economic lunch," Makino replied with pride. He then looked at Sakura and got right down to business. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, and that of your team? I would love to hear all about you."

He was fishing for information. The girl and her sensei were perfectly willing to participate, but the two boys weren't. He needed something to… change their minds, just in case Sandayuu wasn't able to do the job himself. Those two had to have a weakness, infatuation, or even a need that he could exploit if need be. It was said that even the legendary Sannin had weaknesses. And this team was no trio of Sannin.

Sakura considered briefly, then she shrugged. "Where to start?"

"How about at the beginning?" Makino encouraged.

So the girl talked, starting with how all three of them were assigned to one team and put under Hatake Kakashi's command. She then talked about the bell test and how they failed it (though, Makino had to dig to discover she was the one tied to the post).

She then started telling him of their mission to the Wave Country, their encounter with Zabuza for the first time, how they started their next step of training, and then clashed with Zabuza again, as well as his partner Haku, on the nearly completed bridge itself. Naruto wasn't there at the time, so Sasuke ended up fighting Haku. Kakashi took on Zabuza, while Sakura guarded Tazuna himself.

Makino found himself surprised that Uchiha Sasuke had apparently been killed by the other boy. The rumors left _that_ part out. He then learned that Sakura herself had charged the masquerading Hunter-nin, even though her chances of winning were nonexistent. Sakura then told him that she lost consciousness, and that the next thing she knew, Haku was dead, and Zabuza was barely alive, just managing to kill Gato himself. How? She didn't know. She also mentioned that she found Sasuke still alive, but that was all, as she immediately shifted gears to when Gato's men retreated when the villagers showed up, along with a simple trick of ordinary bunshins.

And Makino listened intently.

**

* * *

Naruto**

**Approximately 30 minutes later…**

"Stupid movie, stupid Sasuke, stupid Director, stupid movie, stupid mission, stupid Sasuke…" Naruto ranted as he dug into his fifth bowl of miso ramen.

They had gone to the makeshift infirmary on the ship and got looked at. Sandayuu helped clean up their wounds, took some blood samples from the two, applied some healing cream to Naruto's burn marks and tended to Sasuke's sensitive gut. Fortunately, there were no broken bones, or any other such serious injury, so they only stayed for about 15 minutes. After being 'discharged' by Sandayuu, the two walked to their rooms (completely ignoring each other), changed, and went to the mess hall and started eating.

"Mind if I join you?"

Naruto looked up at the voice. It was Sandayuu. "If you want," Naruto said evenly, and turned back to his ramen.

Sandayuu sat down and put his curry in front of him. He took a few careful bites, never taking his eyes off Naruto, but he didn't say a word. Naruto suppressed a sigh. He had a good idea why their employer was here. Might as well start, so Naruto could tell him to shove it up his ass. "Are you here to persuade me to join this movie?"

Sandayuu gave a small smile. "Well… I'd be lying if I said otherwise." He leaned back in his chair and shifted into a comfortable position. "Is it really that bad of an idea to act a bit in the movie?"

"You're damn right it is," Naruto said, looking Sandayuu straight in the eye with his own. Sandayuu didn't respond. He merely waited. Naruto grumbled under his breath and added, "I don't like the bitchy actress. Plus, I have more training to do."

"There will always be time for training," Sandayuu assured him. Naruto was about to add to his protests, when Sandayuu held up a hand. "Just think about what possibilities the movie could bring you. There's the money aspect; you'll be paid extra for this. There's also the fame that'll go around. Everyone will know your face and you can show everyone just what you're made of. We already got that magnificent smokescreen you did earlier on camera and Makino-sama intends to add it in as special effects."

Naruto froze at a moment. Oh… crap. That was right! His jutsu was on camera! On a movie that was going to be played for the entire Fire Country, if not more! "Forget it!" Naruto shouted, a bit too loudly, and slammed his hands on the table. That little stunt drew the eyes of everyone in the room towards them, but Naruto didn't care. "No way I'm showing off _my_ jutsu!"

"Excuse me?" Sandayuu asked. "What's wrong with that? You have wondrous and powerful…um…what was the term?...jutsu."

"Of course I do!" Naruto said, his voice full of pride. "But that doesn't mean I want the world to know about them!"

"Why not?"

"BECAUSE THEY'RE _MY_ JUTSU!"

Sandayuu held up his hands. "OK. OK. Calm down. You don't like people knowing your secrets. Since you're a shinobi, that does make sense. But have you thought about the advantages that the movie could give you?"

"I can't think of any," Naruto insisted stubbornly.

"Well, you already mimicked one of Yukie-sama's jutsu. Perhaps you'll get more ideas."

Now Naruto gave Sandayuu his full attention. "Keep going," Naruto said cautiously.

"As I said, you already mimicked one of Yukie-sama's moves. While you may have a problem sharing your techniques, the movie business is - how shall we say? - less possessive. With your talents, you could very well recreate many of the movie moves. Your copy of the Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu was quite authentic." Naruto saw Sandayuu pause and wait. Slowly, Naruto gave his nodded approval and the older man continued. "We can work it out where you don't have to show off your own creations. Someone of your skill must know some generic ones. Just stick to those and you should be fine."

Naruto thought about it. Which ones were generic ones? Naruto mentally counted: Kage Bunshin, Kaze Tate (which he learned from Ebisu), Doryuuheki, Suiryuudan, probably Kunai Soufuu Atsu. Five. Plus the Academy level ones. Plus… learning more potential jutsu could be fun. The first one was quite handy and him being in this movie would give him a first-hand account of any others. "I'll… think about it…" Naruto said slowly.

"A talentless idiot shouldn't even think, much less act."

Both Sandayuu and Naruto recognized the voice easily. It was Yukie herself. Without even turning around, Naruto spoke. "No one wants to hear your opinion. So just quietly walk along."

"And I don't want to have to spend anymore time around you worthless brats," Yukie responded.

"Yukie-sama!" Sandayuu shouted, but Naruto held up a hand. He swiveled around and looked at the fabled actress. "And no one likes a bitchy actress who badmouths everyone she meets, hurts little kids' feelings over a stupid autograph and disses the people hired for your protection. Would it kill you to act a little civil every once in a while?"

"Why don't you stay out of matters that don't concern you?!" Yukie demanded harshly.

"What's with that logic!? I'm your damned bodyguard, whether we like it or not! So, this does concern me! What's your problem!?"

"I have a worthless rodent that continues to bother and pester me! I never asked you to butt into my affairs!"

Sandayuu looked a bit fearful. "I'll… just… leave you two… alone…" He rushed out of there quickly, while Naruto kept his eye on the actress, who continued ranting. "You stalk me, you insult me, you steal _my_ move…"

That last one instantly struck a nerve in Naruto and he didn't know why. "What the hell are you talking about!?"

"The Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu!" Yukie shouted. "That is _my _move."

This was starting to sound familiar for some reason, but Naruto couldn't yet grasp what it was. "What's the problem? It's not like you can even do it! It's just something from the movie…"

"The movie I star in!" Yukie corrected. "The movie that I worked my ass off for! It's all my effort and hard work, and you go and steal something that I slaved away for and act like it's nothing. Even someone like me takes pride in what they work for and accomplish! It's MY MOVE!"

Naruto acted like he had been struck across the face. Now he knew where that tone of voice came from. It was exactly like how he acted when he learned that Kakashi had taught Sasuke the Oboro behind his back. But… he didn't really act like that… did he? He wasn't loud, hateful… uncooperative… wait…

Yukie wasn't done yet. "I don't need a self-centered brat working alongside me. You know nothing of what my life is like, or why my pride in these films is all I have left. And I'm not about to let some smart-mouthed little ass take that away. So do us both a favor and pretend that you don't exist!" She then stormed away, leaving Naruto alone.

Naruto just sat there, alone, letting his mind wander and think. What should he do? Sandayuu had said that the movie business wouldn't care, yet clearly Yukie did care. And she reacted exactly… like he did. Still, there were differences. Kakashi had broken his promise, Sakura stole without even considering him, and Sasuke was just a plain ass. Those were deliberate. Still, Yukie accused him of doing the same thing. Naruto groaned and laid his head on the table, trying to think. This mission was becoming more and more troublesome by the minute! He was just supposed to guard this stubborn actress, not war with his conscience every few minutes!

The more he thought, the more he knew that he had to do at least one thing. Yukie's last statement kept running through his head: Nothing of what her life had been like, her pride in the films, pretend he didn't exist. Just what could have been so awful in her life? Several events from his own life popped into his head, and he came to a decision: If nothing else, he was going to change that impression Yukie had on him. And the best way to do that was…

He slowly lifted his head and looked in the direction Yukie had gone, then where the movie set was. "I'm going to hate myself in the morning…" he complained as he pushed his bowl away and walked out.

**

* * *

Sasuke**

Sasuke finished his lunch in record time and made a beeline out of the mess hall, no real destination in mind, though he ended up at the front of the ship anyway. He needed time to think! He didn't know what to do anymore! And he was frustrated to no end!

Fighting with Naruto had helped him forget his problems temporarily, but now they seemed even worse now!

After the fight, he had been mad that Kakashi had interfered and rescued him. Then he noticed who else had helped him out. That had both surprised and completely baffled him. Why did Sakura go and sa-… well, not save per se, but definitely assisted him… earlier, especially when she apparently didn't care about him anymore?

He didn't know why she did so, but he assumed it was because she was now willing to talk about that incident and tell him what the hell she wanted. To show that he was willing to talk about it, he swallowed his pride and thanked her for _assisting_ him, even though a part of him wished she hadn't. He had thought he and her could finally resolve this little issue.

Wrong.

This time, she blew him off completely! She totally ignored him and even responded in a cold voice that didn't belong to her. He didn't know what was worse. That…

…or the fact that he couldn't get that certain image of her out of his mind.

He wanted to yell at the irritation all this junk was giving him! Damn Naruto! Damn that Oiroke no Jutsu: Sakura Sutairu! Damn Michy! Damn Naruto again! Damn his own confusion! Damn…whatever else he was forgetting! DAMN IT ALL TO HELL! What the hell did Sakura WANT!? Was that too much to ask!?

"Should I leave you alone so you can continue to cuss?" asked a voice.

Sasuke froze. Had all that actually come out of his mouth? Trying to calm himself, he slowly turned around and looked at the speaker.

It was Sandayuu.

How long had he been there?! More importantly, how much of that had been out loud?

Hoping to avoid the subject, Sasuke spoke. "What do you want?"

"Mind if I have a word?" Sandayuu asked.

"Out with it," Sasuke demanded.

"Well, I was here to persuade you to join the movie, but it looks like you need some other sort of help first."

"I don't need help," Sasuke insisted.

"Don't you?" Sandayuu asked in a firm voice. The same type of voice that he had used when he had spoken to Yukie at the bar: One of authority and in no mood for games. Sandayuu was the type of person who normally gave plenty of room to those around him, but even he had times when he dug his heels in and made a stand. He then walked over and sat at the front of the ship. He gestured at a spot next to him. Sasuke stood his ground. "Now," Sandayuu ordered.

Sasuke snorted and sat. He didn't speak immediately, but Sandayuu kept looking at him. Fifteen minutes passed and still nothing was said. "How much did you hear?" Sasuke finally asked, refusing to look at the man. He could feel his face becoming red.

"Enough," Sandayuu said. "You seem to be having all sorts of problems. Those with your two teammates, those with yourself, even some for Michy-san and I think I know why for him."

Sasuke considered. Then he asked. "Myself?"

"I think that one source of your problems is that you think that you're weak."

Sasuke flinched. What? Where did he get that idea!? He looked at Sandayuu, waiting for an explanation.

"I've been around for a while and I have a very good idea why you're acting the way you are," Sandayuu explained. "You're upset with yourself for various reasons: your own confusion, your frustration, all of which leads to one common thread: weakness. All of it seems centered around your two teammates. Sakura-san, because you can't understand what she wants, and why you're becoming so weak around her and your recent loss to Naruto-san, which makes you think you're weaker than him."

"I _didn't _lose," Sasuke insisted.

"Let's not fool ourselves," Sandayuu countered. "Your own jutsu backfired on you. Almost literally. With that, and that large Water Dragon attack, if your sensei and teammate hadn't come to your aid, Naruto-san would have had you at his mercy. You lost."

Sasuke's only response was to slam his fist into the deck.

"Listen. There are ways to help you. Let's take Naruto-san's case first. You lost to him this time around. But there'll be a next time. And during that time, you act. I'd recommend going to an ideal teacher. Someone who can push you to your limits and force you to surpass them. Being the last Uchiha, I believe that you have ample people who would like to help you get stronger."

"More than you know," Sasuke muttered without thinking, resting his right hand on the spot where the Curse Seal was. "But that man is not an option."

Sasuke could see some confusion in the man's eyes. "Pardon? There is someone to take you and give you the training you need? Why not go?"

Anger started building up inside Sasuke. He didn't need this type of talk. What he needed was some freaking help! Not be reminded of all this traitor talk. "I said – "

"I heard what you said," Sandayuu interrupted. "You said you had someone who was perfectly willing to teach you and help you grow stronger. What's the problem?"

"That the person in question is Orochimaru himself!" Sasuke shouted.

Sandayuu's face fell at that. He immediately shifted his position and got on his hands and knees. "I deeply apologize. I… I didn't know. I… I assumed…"

"You assumed wrong," Sasuke said coldly. Go to Orochimaru? He shook his head. Great, now that thought was going to bug him, on top of Naruto's stupid prank and Sakura's behavior. His life sucked. "Get up."

Sandayuu nodded from his position and sat upright. "Um… might I suggest we talk about your other problem?"

Sasuke scowled, but did not say otherwise.

"Your female teammate seems rather cold and harsh to you," Sandayuu stated openly. Sasuke scowled deeper. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

There was no hesitation in Sasuke's answer. He knew he probably should get this off his chest, get someone else's opinion on the matter. Maybe even get some helpful advice on what to do. But now he was no longer interested. The fool already screwed up with his advice on how to get stronger. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if they discussed his problems with Sakura.

His answer was, "No."

Sandayuu considered, and then nodded. "Very well. Then I shall speak to her myself and tell you what I observe, and you can take it anyway you like. Sakura-san wants nothing to do with you, or at least, so you think. Yet she helped you out earlier when your fight turned sour. She's not as cold-hearted around you as you think. She's waiting for something. What that is, even I'm not sure.

"Now, you also seem to blame Michy-san as a source for your problems. Probably because Sakura-san is focusing more on him than you… and you're used to her attention on you, isn't that right, Sasuke-san?" Not waiting for a response, Sandayuu continued. "My suggestion on that would be simply to ignore how Sakura-san acts around Michy-san. Once your mission with us is over, you'll likely never see him again. So don't concern yourself with trivial matters like that. However, if you do decide to take part in the movie, you'll find yourself close to Sakura-san for awhile. She won't be able to completely ignore you then. And that may very well give you the opening you need." He stood up and started walking away. "And then of course, there's the biggest source of your troubles with her.

"I think… you miss her."

Sasuke nearly fell off the side of the ship at that. When he regained his bearings, he saw that Sandayuu was long gone. He pondered the older man's words. He missed Sakura? That wasn't true… was it? He brought his hands up to his head and started fighting off a migraine. He then allowed himself to fall back on the deck and look at the sky.

He found himself thinking about all sorts of things now. Orochimaru's offer. His defective katon. Naruto's stupid prank (he still couldn't get that image out of his head!). Sandayuu's talk. Did he really miss Sakura? Was that why he found himself so frustrated? Was the reason really that simple? Most importantly, Sandayuu said that Sakura was waiting for something. What? What was she waiting for? An apology? Sasuke didn't know, but with his luck, that probably wasn't it. What else could it be?

He thought about it and came up with no other possibility. Oh, why should he care at all? He stopped. But that was it, wasn't it? He _did_ care. Why he cared now, he had no freaking clue. But he did.

Be in the movie. That's what Sandayuu had suggested. Use it as an excuse to get close to her, have her talk to him. And maybe… just maybe… get her to tell him what she wanted.

He thought about it some more, and looked back. He made his decision. One of them anyway. Swearing under his breath, he got up and walked off, muttering "I hate my life."

**

* * *

Naruto**

Naruto walked out onto the set, where virtually everyone else was. Several people were getting the cameras ready, others were helping the actors getting dressed, Sandayuu was quizzing Yukie on her scenes, and Makino and Kaijo were deep in discussion.

"So, you came after all. Or are you just here to stare and cause trouble?"

Naruto looked over his shoulder. "I'm here, Sakura-chan. Isn't that enough?"

She gave a small smile. "I suppose so." Her eyes then narrowed slightly. Naruto looked at her confused. What she glaring about now? Then he realized that she was looking over his shoulder. Oh. Glancing back, he saw Sasuke walk up. "So…you're here too, Kizuato?"

"Shut up, Sekigan," Sasuke answered as he joined the other two. "I have my reasons, what's yours?"

"You don't really expect me to answer that, do you?" Naruto shot back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yukie glaring at him, but he ignored her. He would deal with her later. He had other things to do now.

"So, you all decided to do it." Kakashi said, walking over to them with Kaijo, who was carrying several sheets of paper. Kaijo then cleared his throat and looked directly at the three. "You all sure you want to do this? I don't want to hear that you're going to back out halfway through the movie. We're already revising the scripts as it is, and once is enough." He spoke in a tone of complete seriousness, even more so than he usually did. He then held out the papers towards the three. "Don't take them unless you're going to commit."

There was no hesitation from Sakura. She immediately took the paper, started giggling madly and kept ranting about 'how cool Michy-sama was!'.

Naruto saw Sasuke's eyes darken at Sakura's little statements. Sasuke then snatched the other paper out of Kaijo's hand and started looking it over.

"Let's just get this over with," Naruto said, grabbing his own paper. He saw Kakashi give a nod of approval at their actions. "Are you in it too, Hatake?"

"Uh huh," the Jounin said lazily. "More as supporting cast, though. It's you three that Makino has his eyes on."

"Take a few minutes to look over the script," Kaijo said. "It's nothing elaborate, as the scene we'll be filming is an introductory one centered on the four of you. The focus of this scene is going to be introducing your characters for the movie. We figured the best way to do that was to have a normal conversation between yourselves, and then later, Gale and her group will stumble upon you four."

"How are you writing us into the movie anyway?" Sakura asked.

"You'll start out as wandering nin. Lost. Outcast. All due to reasons that you don't want to talk about for a while. Yukie-chan, Ken-kun, and Michy-kun will head your way, due to the fight they witnessed between Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun a while ago, which is also in the movie, by the way. From there, they'll meet you and both groups will discover that they have a common goal: journeying to the Snow Country. And you'll all decide to journey together for mutual protection. That's what you need to concern yourselves with for the time being. Any questions?"

They all shook their heads. "Be calm," Kaijo advised. "Don't look at the camera or crew. Just be yourselves and improvise as you need to." After receiving a collective nod from the Konoha nin, Kaijo walked off and Naruto looked at the script. The opening line was Sasuke's. _Figures,_ Naruto thought irritably. Just a simple one: What's on you guys' minds?

Naruto looked over the rest of the script with the other responses, and saw the people getting the cameras, lights, and sound equipment all into place out of the corner of his eye. Makino then addressed all of them. "OK. Take a few minutes and get familiar with your lines. The first time around will simply be a test run, just to get you into the feel of things and what to expect later. Don't worry about the cameras or anyone watching you. Just be yourselves and act natural." He then walked over and began talking with the other actors for a few minutes, then finally looked back. "Are you four ready?"

"Hai," came the universal response.

Makino then sat in his director's chair and pointed at them, giving the signal to start. At first nothing happened, the group just stood there, waiting. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi looked at Sasuke and waited, while Sasuke just stared back. "What are you waiting for?!" Naruto snapped at him. "Start already!"

"Shut up," Sasuke said, now refocusing on his script. He then cleared his throat and said, "What's on my mind?"

It's been known that some people don't act well under pressure. Some people can be great, fine, and unemotional in the most casual of situations, perhaps even in life-threatening situations, yet as soon as they get in front of a camera, with everyone's focus and high levels of performance and expectations, even the most steel-nerved people can crumble on the set. Now take that and add Sasuke's own mental traumas up to this point, and this is the result.

There was a silence and a wide selection of responses. Makino looked amused at the mistake, while Kaijo seemed to expect it. Michy, curiously, looked eager for some reason, like a cat that was about to pounce on its prey. The other actors didn't seem to really care. Only Sandayuu seemed impassive. "Who cares!?" Naruto demanded. "That's not your line, dumbass!"

"Sure it is… oh… wait, no it's not… um… How's your find doing?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" Naruto shouted. "It's just one stupid line! What's your freaking problem!? It's not that hard!"

"No one wants to hear your opinion, baka," Sasuke snapped back, refocusing on his paper. He looked at it for a few seconds, then put it away and stated, "What's on your behind?"

"It's 'What's on your blind', not behind… oh shit… now you've got me doing it! Great going, Uchiha _genius_!" Naruto said the last word with complete sarcasm.

"Will you two stop?" Sakura interjected, looking in Sasuke's direction. "Just say the first thing that comes naturally to your mind."

"Why did you have to be naked?" Sasuke blurted out immediately.

The atmosphere changed immediately. Sakura's script dropped out of her hands, while Kakashi looked completely shocked, and Naruto lost his voice due to the cracking up he was currently doing. Makino looked like someone had just handed him pure gold, while Kaijo stumbled backwards, and all the actors were now giving the shinobi their complete and undivided attention. Sakura then turned her full attention on Sasuke. "What. _Was_. _**THAT!?**_"

"It's not what you think!" Sasuke protested immediately, waving his hands in the air.

Naruto broke out laughing. "This is great! Who knew Sasuke-teme was a pervert?! HA! HA! HA! This is the best news I've heard all week!"

"Look who's talking! You're the one who did it!" Sasuke accused the blond shinobi, while Sakura grabbed Sasuke by the collar, pulled him face-to-face with her and demanded he explain himself. Poor Sasuke looked as if he'd rather face his brother's Tsukuyomi again than confront a pissed-off Sakura over this particular… subject.

"Did what?" Kakashi asked, not having a clue what was going on.

"Oh," Naruto answered, in-between laughs, "I just caught Sasuke in a prank that revealed his true nature!"

"My true nature!?" Sasuke repeated in pure disbelief, now focusing on Naruto, despite Sakura being right in his face. "You're the one who did it! And you're the one who uses those damned things! It takes a perverted mind to created perverted ninjutsu!"

"ISN'T SOMEONE GOING TO TELL ME WHAT THIS STUPID PRANK WAS ABOUT!?" Sakura yelled while still glaring at Sasuke. "YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS TO EXPLAIN BEFORE HEADS START ROLLING!!"

"There's a distinct line between creative and perverted!" Naruto roared back. He was many things, but being labeled as a pervert was not going to be one of them! He then got some bad mental imagery, most notably his face with a Jiraiya-style body. He flinched badly at that thought.

"Only to those in complete denial about themselves!" Sasuke shot back.

"ONE!" Sakura counted.

"OH?! JUST LIKE YOU RIGHT NOW!!?" Naruto accused.

"Who was the one who created that perverted thing!? Here are a few hints! He's a damn midget, he has stupid blond hair, and has a face like a rat's ass!"

"TWO!"

"Who's the one who couldn't speak, was gaping like a maniac, and looked like he just found a vault of treasure!"

"Um… guys…" Kakashi tried.

"STAY OUT OF THIS!!!" all three yelled, while Sakura counted. "_THREE!!"_

"I did _not _gape or look like that!" Sasuke retorted. "If anyone does that, it's you when you're around that Hyuuga girl! Remember that time you two went and kissed and how she passed out over it?!"

"WHY ARE YOU BRINGING _HER_ INTO THIS!?!" Naruto demanded. "She's got nothing to do with this, and you _did_ gape like mad! Your face screamed 'I want that!'"

"_**FOUR!!!"**_

"I did not!" Sasuke retorted, He then looked back at the kunoichi, who was still inches from his face and about to erupt. In a tone of sheer desperation, he pleaded, "Listen! I'm telling you, it's not what you…"

"Look behind you…" said a seductive, voice. Sakura and Sasuke froze. And whether it was due to curiosity, or simply wanting to deny what was about to happen, both genin turned around. There was a second Sakura standing there, wearing absolutely nothing at all. Sakura dropped Sasuke right there, unable to speak due to the shock, while Sasuke went red-faced again and looked straight on, not turning his head at all. After a few seconds, the henge dropped and Naruto pointed triumphantly at the Uchiha. "See!? That face right there! That's the exact same fa-" He was cut off by Sakura's fist slamming into his face hard. "BAKA!!! SHANNARO!!!"

She then immediately turned around and slammed her fist into Sasuke's face. "AND THAT'S FOR LOOKING!!! TWICE!!!"

"IT'S _NOT MY FAULT!!" _Sasuke yelled back. "I'm innocent here! I was minding my own business and not bothering anyone!"

"Well… you did push Michy-san over the side of the boat…" Kakashi said simply. "Now can you three calm down?"

"YOU DID WHAT!?" both Naruto and Sakura shouted, getting into Sasuke's face again and completely ignoring the man.

"I was in a bad mood, and that's got nothing to do with this anyway!"

"You pushed _Michy-sama_ overboard!?"

"So that's why he was soaking wet!"

"So what!? And that's all your fault too, baka!"

"HOW could you do such a thing to Michy-sama!?"

"_My_ fault!? How the hell is that _my_ fault!?

"It just is! Like everything else is on this damned mission!"

"I'll never forgive you for what you did to Michy-sama!"

"My fault? MY fault!? How is all of this _my _fault?! Are you blaming me for your pathetic failures now too?! Like that defective katon of yours!? Is that my fault too!?"

"Now, now…" Kakashi tried, bringing up his hands, as if that would help calm things down. "Original jutsus are hard to complete. Naruto, you should know that better than…"

"We don't need the opinion of a lazy, unoriginal copycat like yourself!" Naruto yelled at him.

"Oh…" Kakashi drew out the word carefully. "So that's how you wanna play, huh?"

"Why not!?" Sasuke demanded at Naruto. "It could very well be you! You're the one coming at me all the time, just like with that stupid jutsu of Sakura you did!"

"That's right!" Sakura yelled, turning around to face Naruto. "IF you ever pull that stupid stunt again, I'll rearrange your face!"

"It was just a little prank!" Naruto insisted.

"Who would want to look at you when you're like that anyway!?" Sasuke inquired at his female teammate.

Unfortunately for him, Sakura spun back around and grabbed him all over again. "ARE YOU SAYING that I'm not good enough for you!?"

"What do you want from me!?" Sasuke asked. "First you're mad over the fact that it happened, and now you're mad at the fact that that I don't want to look. What the hell do you want!?"

"Being mad at you is enough right now!" Sakura answered. She then looked back at Naruto. "And I stand by what I said! If you EVER do that again…"

"You know, Sasuke's right… wait… I can't believe I just said that that… but what's with you!? You're not acting like yourself during this mission! What's going on with you!?"

"It's none of your business, idiot!"

"Well, I'm making it my business! Out with it!"

"Screw you! You don't need to know and I'm not telling!"

"Don't make me _force_ it out of you!"

"Naruto-kun…"

All three stopped. They all recognized that voice. No. It couldn't be. Slowly, then all turned and looked at the speaker. It was Hinata.

Completely naked.

"Naruto-kun…" she repeated timidly, poking her fingers together as that familiar blush appeared. "Sakura-chan… Sasuke-kun… please stop fighting… you have o-other things to worry about…. a-and… y-you're a team… sh-shouldn't teams be getting… along?"

Naruto's mind experienced the ultimate brain freeze. What? When? How? What was she doing here? He thought his nose was running. Subconsciously, he wiped it and saw a bit of blood. Oh crap. "H-Hinata-chan… what… what are… what are you… what are you doing… what are you doing here? And why… why aren't… aren't you… you wearing… wearing… anything? You're… naked…"

"HA!" Sasuke hollered in glee. "And you accuse me of being a pervert! You should look at your face! Yours is much more…"

"SHE'S SEXIER THAN ME!!!" Sakura interrupted.

Both boys paused and looked at her in pure disbelief. It was at that moment that 'Hinata' vanished and Kakashi reappeared. "Now that you're quiet and I have your attention…"

"THAT WAS YOU!?!?" All three genin exclaimed, completely shocked.

"Yes," Kakashi admitted. He looked at Naruto. "Just because I'm late constantly and prefer to copy the techniques of my enemies doesn't mean I never got into my fair share of trouble or pranks. And before you three explode on me, take a few minutes and calm down. You've given the film crew more than enough to work with."

_Film crew?_ Naruto repeated to himself. _What film… crew… oh… SHIT!!! _He, Sakura and Sasuke all turned and looked at the film crew, and cast. "You… you mean…"

"Excellent!" Makino shouted. "Perfect! All three of you! And you too, Kakashi! That was even better than the script! Perfect for your introduction scene!"

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all paled. "Wait…" Sakura said. "Just… just how… how much did you guys… get?"

"All of it," Kakashi answered for Makino. "I tried to tell you three earlier that they were filming… but you were too preoccupied and wouldn't listen."

"But… but that's not the scene…" Naruto attempted. "Shouldn't… shouldn't we redo it… and dump that footage?" Sakura and even Sasuke muttered 'Hai!'

"Are you kidding!?" Makino exclaimed in pure disbelief. "Forget the script! What you three did was just perfect! Better than any script or scene we could have written! You could feel the passion, drama, and fury in the air! We're keeping it!" He looked at his film crew. "Get to work! That'll be their introductory scene for the movie, with the fight scene being their opening scene. The whole world will soon see this and rejoice at the material of these three stars!"

The _whole world_!? was Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke's collective thought. The whole world was going to see them acting like complete idiots!? They would see Naruto's perverted ninjutsu and reaction to 'Hinata', they would see a naked version of Sakura and her temper unleashed, and a humiliated and defeated Sasuke? The more they thought about it, the more gloom and doom seemed to hang over them in increasing quantities.

"Um… I don't think we should be in the movie anymore…" Naruto said out loud. "A-and… maybe we should ban all that…"

"Gomen, Naruto-kun," Kaijo said, with an apologetic look on his face. "You're committed now, remember? I told you not to take the scripts otherwise and all four of you did. That's effectively giving your word. And true men don't break their word, do they?"

Naruto wanted to cry, and Sakura and Sasuke looked more appalled by the second. Kakashi just looked amused at the thought.

Yukie, Michy, Ken, and even the 'deceased' Hidero came up and offered a hand. The first two had an evil look on their faces at the state of the two boys. "Congratulations," Yukie said with heavy humor and an evil tone that would have made a villainess proud. "It's unanimous now. Welcome to the movies!"

**

* * *

(Author's Note). **And so ends Team 7's first try at the movie business. I wonder how… additional scenes in this movie will turn out. Hopefully, my creativity manages to hold out. 

Special thanks to Tellemicus once again. This chapter was a pain in the butt to produce and Tellemicus helped get the creative juices flowing. I rather liked the end results.

I have to confess that with the Christmas season now upon us, and me shifting my focusing back to my other story for the time being, I have no idea when the next chapter will be. Well, until next time, whenever that may be. Happy Holidays everyone!

Kizuato—Scar  
Sekigan—One Eye

No jutsu list this time. I don't really count what Kakashi did as an original jutsu.

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belong to him._


	7. Mending Bonds

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 7–Mending Bonds_

(**Author's Note**) Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Well, I suppose the timing's a bit off for that, but I hope that all of you had a very merry Christmas. I hope you all enjoy the chapter. Let's hope my little time off hasn't made my skills slack too much, heh heh.

**Later that night**

Three conspirators moved through the lower deck hallways of the ship, moving as quickly as shadows and as silent as death itself. Some footsteps were heard coming down from the hallway. Conspirator 1 held up his left arm up, hand open: the signal to stop. Immediately, all three pressed themselves against the wall, Conspirators 1 and 3 to the left wall and Conspirator 2 on the right, henge-ing themselves to blend into their surroundings. Two men, drunk from the looks of it, came around the corner. They were joking between themselves and walking all over the place. One of the men nearly walked into Conspirator 2, the said person having to move abruptly to avoid giving away their position.

Fortunately, neither man noticed nor cared, and they continued on their way. Conspirator 2 looked at the area where Conspirator 1 was with his eye, waiting. Conspirator 1 dropped his henge, which was quickly followed by Conspirators 2 and 3. Conspirator 1 held up his right arm, his middle and forefingers out, gesturing forward: the signal to move on. The three quickly ran down the hall and found the target: the room at the end of the hall.

Conspirator 1 positioned himself by the left side of the door, while Conspirator 2 kneeled by the doorknob and Conspirator 3 positioned herself just behind Conspirator 2, looking back down the hall and making sure no one was coming. Conspirator 1 nodded to Conspirator 2, who took a few deep sniffs. After a few second, Conspirator 2 gave Conspirator 1 a thumb's up, right hand. The room was empty.

Conspirators 1 and 3 looked around and made sure the area was clear. After that, Conspirator 1 held up his right hand again, two fingers extended just like before, then pointed at the doorknob itself. Immediately, Conspirator 2 opened the door and ran inside, with Conspirator 1 following shortly behind and Conspirator 3 entering last, shutting the door as she went in.

Conspirator 1, Uchiha Sasuke, flipped on the light switch. "Find it," he ordered quietly.

The day, to put it bluntly, had been a complete disaster. After the actors had officially invited Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke into the movie, the three genin spent an additional ten minutes attempting to convince Makino _not_ to put that scene in the movie. Naruto, having personal experience in this matter, even went as far as to say that the Hyuuga Clan would send out assassins to murder everyone involved in the movie for portraying their clan's heir naked for the entire world to see.

And Makino's response to all of this?

He laughed. He then went on and started telling them a story. Five years ago, he was making a movie and caught a certain man doing some very naughty and highly embarrassing things on film. That man had actually sent Jounin-level assassins after Makino, who only managed to live due to his own 'skill' and 'luck.' Makino had then sent the man the following message: that if anything happened to him, certain footage would be released to the public immediately. But if nothing happened to him, most of the footage might never see the light of day. The man had called off the assassins the very next day.

Makino claimed that this man was the current Raikage himself.

No one on Team 7 knew if Makino was telling the truth or just making up some bull story, but one thing was clear: Makino had no intention of altering the scene or excluding it from the movie.

After the catastrophe of their introduction scene, things just went from bad to worse. The next scene had involved the Fuuraibou nin – as they had been called in the movie – meeting Princess Gale's group, and things went to hell. Princess Gale wanted nothing to do with them, calling them shameless, honorless cutthroats that could not be trusted, most often referring to Naruto, which resulted in a loud argument between the two groups, a few embarrassing revelations among ALL of the actors (save Kakashi, who didn't care) and loose tempers. Though during this scene, Naruto – and by default Sakura and Sasuke – attempted to get a small piece of revenge against their sensei by removing his mask on camera. It didn't work out well, to put it nicely.

To make matters worse, both Princess Gale and Sukeakuro had been known to twist everything Naruto and Sasuke (respectively) said and got them tongue-tied, often making the two boys say something neither one would have said in a million years, which got both of them beaten up by Sakura, who only stopped when she realized what she was doing. In addition, each genin had their own unique problems during the other scenes. Sasuke was still having trouble focusing on the lines and kept making stupid mistakes, most notably saying something completely different than what the line actually said, which often resulted in complete embarrassment for the poor Uchiha, and often either Naruto or Sakura. And Michy's word twisting only made it that much worse.

Naruto was able to act and say his lines fine, but he was reduced to the butt of everyone's jokes, perverted comments, criticism, and just about everything else that could be done to degrade him, always started by Gale. One notable time was during the scene when the ship came under attack by a band of roaming pirates and they all had to work together to fend them off. Princess Gale had used her Kaze Ken Soufuu Atsu, with Naruto using his own seconds later, making it clear that his was 'inferior' to hers, that she was the true master of it and that the move was completely hers. Gale responded that 'thieves can't apologize when they return stolen goods. Only be incarcerated.' That nearly made Naruto explode.

As for Sakura… well… as it turned out, Sakura had a habit of using very flamboyant gestures, speaking way too loudly, was way too enthusiastic about everything (even when it came time to cleaning kunai), and said her lines without any real feel to them, despite being loud and trying to show everyone else up. In other words, Sakura's ability to act…

…was completely and utterly hopeless.

And no one had the guts to tell her otherwise.

Of course, Sakura thought she was doing brilliant and that everyone was completely captivated by her performance, when in reality, they were all wondering if she knew just how big of a fool she was making of herself. Quite possibly the biggest of all of Team 7. Even when you compared that to the mistakes and humiliations from the others – especially from Naruto and Sasuke – and that was saying something. And she was also experiencing her fair share of other humiliations; the most prominent was when Sasuke and Naruto got into an argument (encouraged by Gale and Sukeakuro) for ten straight minutes on just _how_ Naruto was able to portray a naked Sakura so accurately.

Nevertheless, after two hours of complete and absolute disgrace and shame, even Sakura was having serious doubts about staying in the movie. Then, after three hours, all of them were so sick and embarrassed by the movie that they all wanted out, no matter if it meant breaking their word or not. Not even Naruto was caring if he broke his nindo. Not one of the three wanted to be associated with the movie in any way, shape or form, especially when all that stuff was guaranteed to be in the movie, one way or another.

"OK. Have it your way," Makino had told them. He then put on a grin of sheer evil and added "But if you quit now, that'll just mean we'll have to replace you with stand-up actors." That grin then became wider as he ended with "And we'll be doing everything _my way_."

And so, to protect what little dignity Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke felt they had left, they resolved to stay in the movie, figuring that was safer than allowing Makino to have free reign over their characters and images.

Finally, after five hours of work, Makino finally called it quits, allowing everyone to go. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke left immediately, going to their own training areas and attempting to work out their frustrations, without even bothering to get something to eat.

Then, right at sunset, the three met. It was as if they all knew what they had to do. There was no name-calling, cold shoulders, or reminders of one's failures to make themselves angry. They came together as peers, teammates and fellow shinobi. If Makino was serious about keeping all that stuff in his movie – and all three knew that he would – then they would just have to take matters into their own hands and do something about it themselves. They spent the next few hours finding out where the room was, who was in charge of maintaining and keeping the film, where everyone else was to be that night, and getting together to share and plan for the operation, which Naruto jokingly called Operation: Pandoranohako.

Which is how they ended up in this room a few hours later: the film room. Where all the film reels of the movie were stored.

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke walked about, searching through the piles of film. "Who knew that the movie had so much?" Sakura asked out loud, searching through a stack.

"With all the last-minute changes that bastard makes, are you really surprised?" Naruto asked, going through another pile. They didn't call Makino by his name anymore. He was always just 'bastard' now.

"Not really," Sakura answered, moving to another pile. There were several copies of each piece of film. These people were dedicated to their work; there was no question of that.

Twenty minutes later, Naruto found it. "Got it!" Naruto said in triumph. Both Sakura and Sasuke walked over and looked at the film. Naruto passed it to Sakura, who merely held it in her hands and looked like she was remembering all that had transpired that day.

"So that's the source of all our troubles," Sasuke said as Sakura handed him the film. Sasuke held it in his hands, turning it over. It was truly a wonder that all that stuff that happened to them during those five hours were all contained inside this small reel of film. It didn't seem big enough. Yet Sasuke knew that even though it was small, if it were released to the public, hell would be unleashed on Team 7 in the form of taunting, laughter, making fun of them behind their backs and who knew what else.

Pandoranohako was truly a fitting name for this damn thing.

Sasuke held the reel in his outstretched hand, activated the Faiatama and the damned thing was ablaze. Seconds later, it was reduced to nothing but a pile of ashes. The three gathered the ashes and stuffed them in their pockets to dispose of them by tossing them overboard later. They didn't want to leave any evidence behind that they destroyed the film. It would make their lives that much easier if the bastard and the others simply believed that they misplaced it and couldn't find it. At least until this damn mission was over. Sasuke then held out his hand. "Next copy."

Naruto went back through the pile and a few moments later, started frantically looking through it. "They're not here!"

"Nani!?" Sakura and Sasuke yelled.

He pointed. "That was the only one! There are no other copies!"

"That doesn't make any sense!" Sasuke snapped in irritation as he walked over and helped Naruto search through the pile. "There's multiple copies of every other piece of film, so why aren't there any with this one?"

"He knew," Sakura stated quietly, drawing the attention of the two boys. She looked at them directly and if Sasuke wasn't currently concerned with the Pandoranohako, he might have felt a bit relieved that Sakura was looking at him normally, as opposed to how she did ever since that incident. "He knew, or at least suspected, that we would come and do this," she finished.

Neither boy answered immediately, but they clenched their fists tightly. "So he deliberately left one copy in this room and hoped that would throw us off?" Sasuke growled.

"I don't think so," Naruto said. "I think it's a message."

"A message?" the other two asked.

Naruto nodded, his eye looking at them each in turn. "Same thing I would do if this was a prank: toy with the prankee. He must have known we would figure out that there were multiple copies." He gestured around the room. "It's a dead giveaway when every other piece of film has copies. So, he sets one out to bait us. That tells me that he's messing with us. That he's daring us to try and find the other copies. And he's confident that we won't find them all."

Sakura looked thoughtful, while Sasuke just shrugged. "If you say so. I'm no prankster." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. It was a map of the ship, which they had made earlier when they were getting ready for this operation. He set it on the table and spread it out while the other two looked over his shoulder. "We're here," he said, pointing on the map. "Bastard's room is here." He pointed at a Makino's room. "I'd say that's one likely area."

"Maybe," Naruto considered. "He could be hoping we'd think that in hopes of us going there with a red herring, or it could be a play on reserve psychology, making it seem too obvious that he wouldn't hide one there, when in reality he did, or…"

Sakura rubbed her forehead. "Ok. Now you're just rambling and not making any sense to me." She looked at the map. "The safest bet would be to simply check everywhere. I call Michy-sama's room!"

Sasuke grumbled under his breath, but did not protest. "I'll look in the bastard's room myself."

"I'll take Kaijo's," Naruto said. They kept assigning rooms and places on the ship until only one room was left, and it was Naruto's turn. "Kuso!" he whined. It was Yukie's room.

"Stop whining, Naruto." Sakura told him. "That's the last one and it's your turn for a room."

"I'll trade you," Naruto pleaded. "I don't care who."

"No," they both answered.

"…You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Hai," they answered together again, this time with a small smile on their faces. Naruto groaned in defeat as Sasuke gathered up the map and said "Let's get out of here."

**

* * *

Several hours later**

Naruto was grumbling under his breath as he walked down the hallway, counting the number of rooms he had gotten already. So far, he had found two copies of the damn film: One in a storage room and one in the kitchen itself. Curiously, most of the rooms were empty. In fact, hardly anyone was below deck during these hours, but Naruto didn't question it too much. It wasn't like they could all vanish off the face of the earth. He started recounting again, hoping that he had missed one somewhere. Anywhere. Each time, he counted off all the rooms, except the one.

Yukie's room.

He swore under his breath and started walking up towards her room. Might as well get this over with. With his luck, the bitch would be asleep already and wouldn't notice.

Or she would wake up and be absolutely convinced that he was a pervert. Hopefully she was somewhere else other than her room. He got his mind out of that line of thought when he thought he heard something. It sounded like music. And laughter. And lots of people. He headed towards the sounds and found himself up on deck.

It was a huge party. Nearly everyone was up on deck. People were drinking, dancing, telling jokes, etc. Several large stereos were set up and people were actually using the movie equipment to help enhance the sound. Over in one section was the largest group of people, all looking intently at something. There was a karaoke stand off to the side with several people singing. The current one was none other than Kakashi himself, who couldn't carry the tune and sounded like screeching cats. When the Jounin discovered a flair for singing horribly, he didn't know. Or care. Right in the front of the karaoke stand was a small group of women dancing with ribbons, twirling them with proficient skill. It was quite a sight.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sasuke of all people leaning against the wall, watching the whole thing going on. Moving through the people, he walked over to his friend. "Didn't expect you here."

"Didn't plan on it," Sasuke answered stiffly. He dropped the level of his voice and said in a whisper, "But I finished my rooms and got caught up in this racket. Been waiting for a chance to get close to the side without everyone watching."

"How many did you find?"

"Four. You?"

"Two. Have one last room to check. Hers."

"Make sure you do," Sasuke reminded him. He looked over Naruto's shoulder and Naruto caught a familiar scent. Sakura appeared a few seconds later. "Yo," she said, joining them. "How'd it go?"

"Four."

"Two."

"Three," Sakura said. "Counting the one in the room, that makes 10 even between us. Think that's all of them?"

"Hopefully," Naruto said as he looked over at the crowd of people again. He pointed at the dancers. "They're quite good, don't you think?" Sasuke merely said 'whatever', while Sakura watched. "Yeah, I suppose they are," she said as she watched the dancers twirl their ribbons around themselves and then lash them out. "Really good."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, just look how they're weaving them around. As fluidly as water and as skillful as whips. It's kinda cool." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura's eyebrows raise, like something just hit her. "Sakura-chan?"

"As fluid as water…" she repeated seemingly to herself. "As skillful as whips…"

"Um… yeah… that's what I just said…" Naruto said, unsure of what was going on in the kunoichi's mind. Sasuke also took a moment and looked at the girl, who seemed lost in her own world. A few seconds later, Sandayuu came by. He gazed at them and walked on. He stopped and did a double take. "You three? What are you three doing here?" he asked, snapping them all back to reality.

"Chilling," all three answered immediately.

Sandayuu blinked at them, then started laughing. "I suppose you are. Gomen, but I didn't know you were actually attending this party tonight. I thought you would have gone to bed already. I assume you came to see the main event?"

"The dancers?" Sakura asked.

"Kakashi's lame singing?" Sasuke guessed.

"All the music?" inputted Naruto.

Sandayuu looked startled, but a smile slowly appeared on his face. "No, no, no, no," he said with a tone similar to reprimanding a child who deliberately made a mess. He pointed at the large group of people. "Don't you know what's going on over there?"

All the genin shook their heads. "Why don't you go and see for yourselves while I find you some non-alcoholic drinks. I believe you'll be in for quite a surprise."

Naruto looked at his two teammates, who both shrugged. The three of them started walking towards the large crowd. As they got closer, they could hear the chanting of 'chug, chug, chug.' Apparently, it was a drinking game of some sort, since all of them could now smell the strong stench of alcohol. The three made their way through the crowd and up to the front and looked at the participants, five in all. Interestingly enough, the four main actors, Yukie, Ken, Hidero, and Michy, were all taking part, and the final one…

"I don't believe it," Sakura started.

"Holy Motherf–" Naruto said.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Sasuke finished

"Yo," Kaijo waved lazily, glass in his hand. "Wasn't expecting you three here."

"What the hell are you doing?!" Sakura shouted.

"Playing the game," Kaijo answered simply.

"YOU'RE DRUNK!?!?" Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all shouted. Kaijo, the strict operator? Kaijo, the worrier, was not only playing a drinking game, but was actually drunk!? A drunk Kaijo image didn't fit into their minds.

"Perhaps," Kaijo said evasively, as new glasses were being brought up and set in front on the five contestants. Ken suddenly put his hand to his mouth and ran to the side of the boat, while Hidero collapsed on the table. Michy just shook his head and pushed his glass away. Yukie looked at Kaijo and took her own glass, then looked at Kaijo's, as if daring him to take it. The crowd immediately began their chanting again as Kaijo took the glass. Both of them raised their glasses and took their drinks.

"Here are your drinks!" Sandayuu said happily as he shoved the tray full of glasses in front of the genin's faces. Unfortunately, he was a bit too close and when Naruto turned around, his hand hit the tray and all three of the drinks spilled right on top of him. Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto caught Sakura and Sasuke snickering.

"Is there something wrong?" Kaijo asked, as Yukie collapsed halfway through her own drink. A man came by and raised Kaijo's arm. "And here's our winner!" he declared happily, and the crowd cheered. Kaijo gave a halfhearted smiled right before he passed out on the table, his head landing with a loud thump, while Naruto looked down at himself, swore, and grabbed a towel from the table and attempted to wipe himself off. Sakura had gone back to staring at the dancers like someone who was studying for a pop quiz, while Sasuke just stood and seem to brood. Naruto started to walk off when he saw Michy put his hand on Sakura's shoulder and asked her if she wanted to try the ribbon dance. She looked embarrassed and started to shake her head, but Michy's charming smile put a stop to that. The two walked away towards the dancing floor and Naruto caught Sasuke out of the corner of his eye, who looked as if he was on fire and shaking with rage. Oh well, not his problem.

Naruto walked over to the side of the ship under the pretense of still drying himself. There was one other person there, but that person was busy losing their lunch, so no worries. Once there, he discreetly pulled out the remains in his pocket and tossed them.

"Are you here to give me more grief?"

Naruto stopped and looked at the speaker, who was also the one tossing her cookies. It was Yukie. Oh, he did _not_ need this right now. Without turning to her, he muttered "I'm minding my own business."

"When you got involved in the movie, it became _my_ business, Kusemono."

Kusemono. That was the term she had been calling him, ever since that meeting scene in the movie. It was just one of the many things on his list that he hated about that woman. And that list was becoming a _very_ large one. "Why don't you just shut up and go back to puking?"

"Why don't you just die and save me some misery? No one would miss you."

THAT DID IT!

Naruto immediately spun around and punched Yukie on the side of the face. She stumbled and fell on the deck. She had the look of someone who just had their jaw broken and was very surprised. "How dare you…"

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled at her. He didn't care what he did now. He didn't care if everyone was watching this. He didn't care if they all disapproved of his actions. He didn't care about any of that! All he cared about was putting this bitch in her place once and for all! He stuck his finger right in her face. "You know what I hate about you the most!? It's your damn attitude! You act like you're the only one who has a tragic past! And you know what else!? You throw it out as if that justifies everything! I'd bet anything that my life sucks more than yours, so stop acting like a pathetic little whiner who thinks she's the most tragic thing on this whole damn planet!"

Yukie stood up immediately. Even though she was still rubbing her jaw fiercely, her gaze was just as hard as Naruto's. "And just what would you know? What's so bad that happened to you!?"

Naruto's response was firm. "I had no one. Nothing. I was alone. No one cared about me." He took a step towards her, arms moving around to gesture what he was saying. "No friends. No family. Not even a pet. Nothing. _Nothing._ Can you comprehend that? Can you even comprehend the idea of being absolutely alone your entire life with no one supporting you? _I_ have! _You_ haven't! You have no idea how deep your words hurt when you said 'no one would miss you.' So spare me your little monologue and just SHUT UP!"

Yukie looked at him during his own entire little monologue. Her gaze was still hard, but at the same time, she had a touch of softness in her face. She had been listening intently. She then leaned on the railing of the ship and gazed into the shifting sea. "You fool…" she said softly. The words weren't those of condescending, lecture, rebuttal, or even of malice, but a hint of softness. "You truly don't understand anything."

Naruto felt himself nearly snap. "Say that again. I dare you!"

"You don't understand a thing," Yukie said smoothly, barely above the whisper. She continued even though Naruto was about to pounce on her. "You understand the pain of having nothing, that I'll grant you." Those words made Naruto pause. Barely. But it was enough, and Yukie continued. "But you don't understand my pain. The pain of loss."

"Didn't you just hear what I just said?!"

"Perfectly. You said you know the pain of having nothing. I know the pain of loss. That's something you do not. You never had anything to lose. You just said so yourself."

Naruto looked at her cautiously. "And what are you getting at? That _you_ did?"

She turned and looked at him. "I know what's it like to have everything ripped from you and having your entire world taken from you. Completely opposite of your pain. You say I can't understand you? You're right. I can't. But the same is for you: you can't understand me." She turned her gaze back to sea. Slowly, Naruto did the same and they both stared at the sea. He saw Yukie reach for something inside her clothes and she pulled out a small necklace with a crystal on it.

"That's a nice necklace," he said diplomatically.

"It's all I have left," Yukie spoke. Whether she was speaking to Naruto or herself, Naruto did not know. He then reached inside his jacket and pulled out the Hokage's necklace. He took it off and began twirling it around his finger, deliberately trying to get Yukie to notice it. It worked. She looked at it and asked. "What's that?"

"A gift," Naruto said. He then looked at Yukie and actually put on a small smile. "From someone who thought she lost everything." He tossed it in the air and caught it easily. He looked and saw that Yukie had left. Was it his imagination or did that actress actually give her own small smile in return? Nah. Must have been his imagination.

"Here you go."

Naruto looked at the side: Yukie just the put a small cup at his side. "There's your drink from Sandayuu. Be careful not to have it spill on you." She left him then, while Naruto looked at the cup.

_Maybe she's not as bitchy as she seems,_ Naruto conceded to himself as he took a drink. After a gulp, he gave a small yawn. "It's late," he said, yawning again. "Time for bed."

**

* * *

Later that night**

A figure stalked the hallways. With a different objective this time. He needed something more… personal this time around.

This day had been oddly gone in his favor. Tensions were high among the ninja. They didn't seem to trust each other and were easily angered. It was almost too good to be true. Of course, he had discreetly helped a few scenes along, such as inevitably starting Uchiha's and Uzumaki's argument on which one of them was the bigger pervert. Oh, now that scene had been exceptionally funny. What had been most interesting was that after the two boys argued, both immediately turned around, pointed at Kakashi and labeled _him_ the biggest pervert on Team 7.

"What are you doing at this time of night?"

_Kuso_. He knew that voice. He turned around and looked at _that_ man. Hatake Kakashi. Or was it one of his Kage Bunshins again? He didn't know. But it hardly mattered. He had to be careful, though. Even with this current form, he couldn't underestimate the famous copy-nin. One slip would be all that the damned jounin needed. "I'd thought I'd give our three young stars the new scripts for the morning," Bakeru answered smoothly. "Best to prepare them earlier, lest they be forced to… improvise again on the set."

"Wouldn't it be better to do it early in the morning?" Kakashi asked. "They're sleeping quite soundly now."

"Oh, I don't intend to wake them," Bakeru assured him. "I just want to leave the scripts on their dressers, where they'll see them in the morning. I promise you, they won't even know I was there."

Kakashi was silent, then nodded. "Very well." He then walked off. Once Bakeru was certain the Jounin was clear, he went about his work. He entered the first room: Uzumaki's. He opened the door and closed it firmly. It was dark, but it was enough for him to see. He saw the boy sleeping in the bed. Perfect. Looks like his special drug was still in effect. The boy and the other two would not wake up anytime soon. He concentrated for a moment, then shifted into his original form. He then walked over and put the papers on the dresser, like he said he would. He then walked over, stretched out his right hand and placed it on the boy's forehead. About ten seconds later, he took a step back as if he had been shocked. He gave a soft groan and rubbed his forehead. That part always hurt, but he got what he needed. He shifted back into his prior form and walked to the door. "Pleasant dreams," he told the boy softly. The said person was now rolling in bed like he was having a nightmare.

He walked out and strained his ears. He didn't hear the Konoha nin. Good. He then walked over into the Uchiha's room. After shutting the door, he looked at the fabled Uchiha Sasuke that his master sought. Oh… how easy it would be to just _take_ that boy right now. There he was. Just sleeping, drugged. Unable to do anything. Just right for the picking. And two of his teammates were the same. Oh, how easy it would be.

But he couldn't. Not when Hatake was still very active. No. He didn't get to where he was by taking unnecessary chances. He would bide his time. For now. He walked over and once again took his original form. Once again, he placed his right hand on the Uchiha's forehead. Ten seconds later, he experienced that same shock. Grumbling privately, he put the papers on the dresser and left the room.

He then walked into the girl's room. After securing the room, he did something different. He took out a small syringe and a small piece of cotton. He walked over to the girl's bed, placed the cotton on her arm and stuck the needle in. A moment later he withdrew, the needle full of the girl's blood. He quickly shifted to his original form, then stuck the needle into his left arm and pressed down. He sneered under his breath and put the empty syringe and cotton ball back in his pocket. He then placed his right hand on the girl's forehead. Ten seconds later, he withdrew. He accomplished what he needed. He placed the last script down and left the room.

**

* * *

A few minutes before dawn**

**Naruto**

Naruto slowly woke himself up. His head hurt quite badly. "Stupid nightmares," he said as he got off his bed. He stretched, walked over to the dresser and saw the script. "Perfect. More torture. What time is it?" He looked at the clock and his jaw dropped. "You're kidding!" He gave a small groan. "This day is starting out just perfect." With that, he resigned himself and put on his clothes. Might as well do some training before it all started up again.

A few minutes later he walked out onto the deck. No one else was out just yet, which suited him just fine. He decided to go up to the sails again. As he walked up, he began wondering which jutsu to work on next. He got up to the sails and froze. "What are you doing here?"

"Thinking," Sasuke answered without looking at him. "Woke up too damn early and couldn't get back to sleep."

Cautiously, Naruto walked up and sat next to the Uchiha genius. "You too, huh?"

Sasuke snorted. "What brings you here?"

"I needed some fresh air and this is one of my training spots," Naruto said simply.

"You need more than one?" Sasuke asked him. There was a tone of annoyance in his voice.

"I let Sakura use my old one so I needed a new one. It's as simple as that."

There was a brief silence between the two. "That new raiton of yours hurt like hell," Naruto said after a time.

"I know that all too well," Sasuke said. Naruto saw him rubbing his throat. After a moment, Sasuke put his hand down and looked at the one-eyed shinobi. "During my… testing… I messed up a few times. Electrocuted my throat, or at least that's what it felt like."

If this had been any other time, Naruto would had gloated and badgered Sasuke about that. But this time… "It happens," he offered, remembering how difficult the Sarutobi no Jutsu had been for him. Or when he tried mixing nature and shape elements for that matter. "I've had mine blow up in my face. Not pleasant." He waited and half-expected Sasuke to make some arrogant know-it-all comment. It didn't come.

What did come was this: "I guess we're both having some problems." He hesitated, then added "And not just with new jutsus, are we?"

Naruto gave a small laugh despite himself. "No. We aren't," he agreed. He pulled out his necklace and looked at it. "We've had so many unexpected problems on this damned mission." He thought about it, then decided to ask. He turned to the other boy. "Like jutsus that go after their user?" he asked pointedly.

Sasuke hmphed. He then let out a small sigh. "I've been trying to fix that damned thing for the past few days. I don't have a clue what's wrong with it." He seemed to argue with himself for a brief moment until he came to some decision. "That was why I came to your room when you pulled that _prank_."

Naruto nearly fell off the mast. "Excuse me?"

"I was coming… to… to…" He looked like a cat trying to cough up a hairball for the first time. "A-ask… your…" after a few moment attempts he managed to squeak (who knew that Sasuke actually 'squeaked'!?) "…advice…" Sasuke let his mouth hang open, as though he had just eaten his most hated food.

Naruto was dumbstruck. Was this the same arrogant, attitude-driven Sasuke? The one who always acted like he knew everything better than everyone else, thought he was better than anyone else and acted that way? Was this the imposter that Kakashi had mentioned? The Uchiha genius had come to the 'dead last's' room… to ask for advice on his flawed jutsu? Remembering all the other stuff that had happened on this mission – such as why Sakura was acting the way she did around Sasuke – Naruto was beginning to seriously believe that Armageddon was really happening.

Neither boy said anything else. Both were lost in their own thoughts. Sasuke was amazed that he was actually able to admit the reason he had sought out Naruto, while Naruto now felt a tad bit guilty about his prank on Sasuke. Maybe there was some way to… "I'll help you."

This time, Sasuke nearly fell off. He then looked at Naruto. "Nani?"

"I'll help you," Naruto repeated in a firm tone. He meet Sasuke's gaze with his own. "Sounds like a challenge, and when it comes to creating jutsu, that's the type of challenge I like best. If you're willing to share your secrets about it with me."

Sasuke's gaze hardened a bit. "Intend to use it?"

"No," Naruto answered honestly. "Katons aren't my thing. But if I'm going to help you fix the problem, I need to know what I have to work with." He looked harder at Sasuke. "And I mean that in every sense of the phrase." He held out his hand and waited. "Are you game?"

Sasuke didn't respond immediately. He seemed lost in his own world, but Naruto didn't press him. He knew how reluctant he would be if it was the other way around so he waited. A small smile then appeared on Sasuke's face. He stretched out his own hand and slapped Naruto's. The two firmly clasped. A pledge between men. And more importantly… between friends.

"I'm game," he answered, the coming of dawn just emerging.

**

* * *

A short while later**

**Kaijo**

"Makino-san! We've got a problem!!"

A short while later, Makino, Sandayuu and Kakashi all joined Kaijo at the front of the ship. Everyone was wearing coats, gloves, long pants and closed-toed shoes, with the occasional hat. Ahead of them was a massive iceberg in their path, easily ten times the height of the ship and eight, if not more, times as long.

"What is that?" Makino asked everyone. Anyone else would have made a very sarcastic remark to that statement, but not Kaijo. "When I woke up this morning, I found this waiting for me. We can't get through!" he pleaded directly to the older man. "What are we going to do?"

Makino himself wasn't facing Kaijo, so Kaijo had no idea what the man was thinking. He couldn't see the seemingly calm and unbiased face of the director as he pondered this new problem. Nor did he see Makino's eyes shoot open when he came to his decision. "THIS IS IT!!" he exclaimed happily. "We're changing EVERYTHING!!!"

They were going to change everything AGAIN!? They just redid the entire movie by adding the Konoha nin and now Makino was going to have them do it all again. He needed a new job. Kaijo let out a loud moan.

"You moron!" the director shouted at him. He gestured at the iceberg. "Look! We're standing on the perfect spot to shoot! It's practically begging us to film here!" He made a fist and looked outward. "Cherish this moment: the movie gods are smiling down on us!" He turned around, pointing at all he could. "Everyone prepare to disembark!"

Kaijo knew he should have stayed in bed today.

**

* * *

**

Yukie's Cabin 

"Yukie-sama, please wake up," Sandayuu said as he nudged her awake. She let out a small moan and he shook her a bit harder. "I'm up…" she said sleepily.

"Please get ready," Sandayuu said. "Makino-san has decided to change the script yet again. And I must highly recommend that you wear something warm. Shooting starts in thirty minutes."

Yukie stayed in her position as Sandayuu left the room. Moaning, she sat up and stretched. What a night. Curiously, that was one of the most restful sleeps she'd had since that day. She stood up from the bed and accidentally knocked her pillow off, revealing the item hidden underneath it. She looked at it and decided to pick it up.

It was a precise copy of yesterday's film.

She stared at it briefly, then placed it back on its former spot. She bent down and put the pillow back on it. She then walked to her dresser and started getting ready for the day.

**

* * *

**

Omake! 

(Note from paintball-gamer: For those of you who have never watched 'Whose Line is it Anyway?', you might not get this. This was inspired by JonJ's Whose Line fanfics. I'm not entirely satisfied with how this one turned out, but I leave it to you, the readers, to judge how good it is)

A special scene for Team 7 was being set up. In this scene, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke had been separated from Kakashi and Princess Gale and her group, and were stuck wandering some wastelands looking for them. However, Makino had a different idea in mind for the scene, since he had thought it up on the fly (surprise, surprise) and no actual script had been put together for it. "OK, for this scene, we're going to do things a little differently," he began. "It's going to be entirely improvised, but-"

"Again?!" Naruto whined, interrupting Makino. "Haven't we been embarrassed enough?!" Sasuke nodded in agreement, while Sakura just stood there saying nothing.

"Let me finish!" Makino said, holding up his hand to stem any more complaints. "For this scene, you two…" He then gestured toward Naruto and Sasuke. "…will only be able to say two lines each!"

"WHAT?!!" Naruto and Sasuke both exclaimed at the same time.

"Yup!" continued Makino cheerfully, ignoring the outburst. "For this scene, Naruto…" Naruto glared at him, but he ignored it. "…the only two things you can say are 'That can't be good' and 'When's lunch?'" "Are you kidding me?! Who came up with those?!" broke out Naruto. Once again, Makino ignored him. He then turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke, the only two things _you_ can say are 'Run that by me again?' and 'Are you insane?'" Sasuke shot him an incredulous look. "_Excuse_ me?!" he exclaimed. He too was ignored by Makino. Makino then turned to Sakura. "Sakura, you can say anything you want." Sakura nodded.

"OK, everyone ready?!" called out Makino. "ACTION!"

(The three genins are shown trudging through what looks like a barren wasteland)

Sakura: (looking frustrated and grumpy) I can't believe this! We lost them!

Sasuke: Run that by me again?

Sakura: (looking annoyed) I _said_ we lost our group! Now we have no idea where we are or where to go!

Naruto: That can't be good!

Sakura: Of course not! We're not going to live much longer if we don't find our group!

Naruto: When's lunch?

Sakura: WHAT?!

Sasuke: Are you insane?!

Sakura: My thoughts exactly! How can you be thinking about food at a time like this?! Besides, all our food is with the rest of the group!

Naruto: That can't be good!

Sakura: (losing patience) OF COURSE NOT! Now shut up and help me think of what to do!

Sasuke: Run that by me again?

Sakura: (looking irritated) I _said_ to help me out with this! We have to find the group!

Sasuke: Are you insane?!

Sakura: What?! Why would you think I'm crazy for trying to figure out a way back to our group?!

Naruto: When's lunch?

Sakura: (nearly exploding) I ALREADY TOLD YOU!! We don't have any food! (calms back down) OK, first things first. Let's try to figure out where we are.

Sasuke: Run that by me again?

Sakura: I _JUST SAID_ we need to figure out where we are! We'll never find Kakashi-sensei or the others if we don't know where we are first! We'll just be wandering in circles otherwise!

Naruto: That can't be good!

Sakura: (stress vein pops out on her head) OF COURSE NOT! You really think we'd be better off just wandering until we die of starvation?!

Sasuke: Are you insane?!

Sakura: EXACTLY!

Naruto: When's lunch?

Sakura: (bashes Naruto's head into the ground) HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?! THERE'S NO FOOD!

Sasuke: Run that by me again?

Sakura: (appears to snap, grabs both Naruto and Sasuke in headlocks, shaking their heads with every word) WE – HAVE – NO – FOOD!! (releases them) GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULLS!!

Sasuke: (rasping slightly) Are you insane?!

Sakura: I _WILL_ BE IF I HAVE TO PUT UP WITH YOU TWO IDIOTS FOR MUCH LONGER!!

Naruto: That can't be good!

"CUT! That's a wrap!" yelled Makino.

(credit goes to paintball-gamer for creating this omake)

**

* * *

(Author's Note) **And so ends the chapter with everyone arriving at a huge iceberg that has mysteriously blocked their path. 

Now I imagine many, if not all of you, were eagerly awaiting another disaster scene with Naruto and co. While I was very tempted to try and write out another scene, I felt that it was more important to get the story moving along. It's fun to extend the actual movie and cause utter chaos, but it was time to get on with the actual storyline. Specifically to the part that I know many have been waiting for: the battle at the iceberg.

In all honestly, I don't know if I'm going to write out any more movie scenes because once the iceberg part is done, there really isn't going to be any opportunity to do so.

I must say that one thing that surprised me about the reviews last chapter were the number of people that wanted _Kakashi_ to tell Makino the dangers of the scene where a naked Hinata was featured. I was wondering if we were talking about the same character. The Kakashi I know doesn't care about his image. The Kakashi I know is late on purpose, reads perverted novels in the open, and has quite a laid back attitude. Not the type of person I see giving out warnings like that. And I still don't see him doing that. But as an attempted compromise to appease you all, I went and had Naruto explain the possible dangers, but did any of you really expect Makino to change his mind or alter the scene?

Fuuraibou - (n) wanderer; vagabond; capricious person; hobo

Pandoranohako – (n) Pandora's Box

Kusemono - (n) ruffian; villain; knave; thief; suspicious fellow

No jutsu list this time.

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemcius created that are used in this story belong to him._


	8. A Warrior Falls

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 8–A Warrior Falls_

The entire group got off the ship and onto the iceberg in no time flat. Director Makino had started barking orders before everyone was even off the ship and started throwing out wild and crazy ideas that could, should and would happen during the next scene. All his flair, inspiration and improvising was just spelling doom for the cast and crew, specifically a certain three Konoha nin.

Yukie, however, was not feeling the urge of doom coming. Not even that slight, but still very real feeling of nausea she felt due to last night's game made her feel that doom was coming. She was a professional and had worked with the eccentric director long enough to know his habits and what to expect from him. She was very well familiar with his sudden changes with movies and had come to the point where she could adapt on the spot if she needed to. The same could be said about the other four actors for key characters: Burikinto, Shishimaru, Sukeakuro, and Mao. All five of them were able to keep up with Makino's insane movie-making strategies, though the certain _young _members of the cast obviously weren't.

But just because Yukie was not having feelings of doom for the movie, it did not mean she was eager to participate. Ever since Makino had announced that filming for the next movie would take place in the Snow Country nearly three weeks ago, she hadn't had a moment's peace. Not from the working conditions or expectations, but simply because they were all returning to _that place_. And with that announcement, the nightmares came. Even now, she could still feel the heat of the burning buildings, or hear the screams of the dying. And especially the corpse of…

She shook her head, not wanting to remember anymore. The dreams had come every night, as if the past itself wanted to mock and torment her. And with every night that came closer to their departure date, the dreams became that much more intense. Several times, she had tried to run away, but she was always found and brought back. Why did everyone want to do this to her? She wanted to forget the past and be done with it!

Her thoughts then turned to the unpredictable ninja: Uzumaki Naruto. He claimed that his life sucked more than hers, saying that the loneliness he had felt was a terrible pain. And curiously, the same night she had talked with the boy, she had been able to sleep soundly, with no dreams of her past to haunt her at all.

She looked around the landscape, breathing in the clean, crisp air that the iceberg had provided. Everyone was busy setting up for the scene… whatever that would be, since none of this had been planned, after all. She saw Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all focusing on their scripts with determined looks on their faces. It brought a brief smile to her face. Determined as they were, it wouldn't help. No amount of preparation would ever be able to prepare them for Makino's constant changes. The only way to really prepare for them was to learn from experience, something that those three did not have, and the best way for them to get that and learn was to let them work it out themselves without anyone holding their hands, like how the mother hawk was known to push her baby chicks out of the nest to see if they could fly on their own or go crashing into the ground.

She briefly wondered if those three would fly or crash today.

"Yukie-sama."

Silently, she turned around and looked at her agent. "What is it?"

"I know that look on your face," Sandayuu told her simply. "Anything you care to share?"

"No," she told him harshly.

"Yukie-sama… I think I might be able to help if…"

"I SAID NO!" she shouted. "What could you possibly understand? You're just a small, little man who happens to be my agent and who likes to butt into my business! So stay out of my way! What would you know about it anyway?!" Without waiting for an answer, she stormed off to the set, leaving Sandayuu alone.

"More than you know, Koyuki-sama… more than you know…" he told himself quietly.

**

* * *

Naruto**

Naruto groaned under his breath as he made his way to the starting set, which was nothing more than a section of the iceberg that Makino had randomly pointed at. Currently, he was walking beside Kakashi towards the set.

He – like Sakura and Sasuke – was now dressed for the cold. They all wore those small footwear things on their sandals to keep their feet warm, and gloves for their hands. Naruto himself had just stuck with his usual black and orange jumpsuit since that was adequate. He glanced at Sakura, who was dressed mostly the same but also had a warm overshirt on. Instead of taking Kakashi's advice about pants and keeping little skin exposed, she had just put on leg and arm warmers, as opposed to a long-sleeved shirt and pants. Sasuke had also decided to wear his usual clothes with an overshirt – long-sleeved as opposed to short-sleeved – and had wrapped bandages around his legs. Kakashi just put on a scarf, only with the foot warmer things.

It had been an hour since dawn, and Naruto had spent that time working with Sasuke on the Kisou Karyuu's flaw. Sasuke had told him the details, such as the large amount of chakra control he was inputting, the way he was manipulating the fire, and the various combination of handseals he had used. The current sequence he had down was the best one he had so far because the Kisou Karyuu had gone after the Sasuke bunshin two out of ten times with that sequence. Naruto found himself going over and over the seals again.

_Uma. Tora. Tori. Tatsu. Tori. Tora. Uma. Tori. Tatsu. Saru. Tori. Tora._

_Horse. Tiger. Bird. Dragon. Bird. Tiger. Horse. Bird. Dragon. Monkey. Bird. Tiger._

_Focus. Power. Control. Seek. Control. Power. Focus. Control. Seek. Speed. Control. Power. _

He couldn't find anything wrong with the sequence. It had the necessary elements for the Kisou Karyuu: Power, Seek, Control, Speed and Focus. That's the combination he would have come up with: plenty of focus, speed and power with the ability to seek, all carefully controlled so that it wouldn't rebound back at you. Except that's what it was doing exactly. He didn't understand… why was the Kisou Karyuu backfiring so badly? He played the seal combination over yet again and that seemed perfectly fine. What was the stupid problem?

Should Sasuke create his own seal for this? Naruto shook his head. Unless they knew for a fact that the seals were the problem, creating a new one wouldn't make any difference. You only needed to create a new seal if the standard ones weren't good enough, but that didn't seem to be the case here.

Maybe something to do with the chakra control? Should Sasuke use more? Less? This kind of question would be perfect to ask Sakura – a suggestion Sasuke had turned down immediately – since out of the three of them, her chakra control was the best. But seeing how things were between Sasuke and Sakura at the moment, it didn't seem likely that Sakura would be willing to help.

Naruto had even volunteered to let Sasuke try it on him once (though he had a Suiton jutsu ready to go just in case it _did_ work) to see if using the Kisou Karyuu on the Kage Bunshin really was messing up the seeking ability. The result was the same, however. Halfway towards Naruto, the attack suddenly stalled and went right back at the Uchiha. It seemed that the Kage Bunshin wasn't the problem.

But then… what was? What was left? Something with the fire portion of it? Or could it even be Sasuke's Curse Seal messing up things somehow? But that didn't make any sense. None of any of Sasuke's other jutsus were affected, after all. What could it be?

Naruto shook his head again. Then he stopped abruptly. He took a couple more deep sniffs. Slowly, he looked down at the area. There was a lingering smell – no, smells… at least two – around that part. Smells that he didn't recognize. Suspicious now, he walked over to the spot and took a few more careful sniffs, but he didn't get anything more. He then scanned the horizon with his eye, searching.

"Hatake," Naruto called out.

Kakashi stopped and looked at him. "You smell it too, don't you?"

Naruto felt his eyebrows rise. "You can track by scent as well?"

The Jounin smiled underneath his mask. "My own nose isn't half bad." His voice then grew serious. "Can you detect anything specific?"

Naruto shook his head. "No. Scent's too weak, and the cold doesn't help matters either. Best I can say is that there are at least two different scents and they once stood here. Where they are now, or if there's more, I can't say."

"I thought as much," Kakashi replied. He paused and looked at their surroundings and all the people. "We'll let Sakura and Sasuke know about this, but we'll keep it between the four of us for right now. I'd rather not cause a needless panic, especially if these scents turn out to be false." He then looked at Naruto. "And for future reference, be mindful of the cold. As you noticed, it hampers the scents. Adjusting to it is something that only experience and time will be able to help you on. You have to be able to focus on the smallest trace you can find, and stay on it. Not easy to do at first."

Naruto merely nodded in response.

"Also… I picked up _three_ individual scents."

**

* * *

Twenty minutes later…**

The film crew and cast were nearly ready to start filming again, despite the fact that many were acting very sluggish and looked like they were ready to pass out right then and there. The actors gathered at a spot on the iceberg, directly below a large pile of ice where Mao would be standing. Ken and Michy didn't look too much better than the camera crew themselves: Ken had thrown up a total of twice so far, and Michy was quite dizzy. Kaijo – who now wore sunglasses due to his complaining that it was too bright – held up the snapshot again. "Alright, scene 36, cut 22, take 1! Action!"

Immediately, Mao began laughing sinisterly. "FWA HA HA HA!! So you've arrived, Princess Gale!"

"It's you… Mao!" Yukie/Gale responded as everyone drew their weapons. Michy/Sukeakuro held up a hand in her direction. "Princess, please stay back!"

"We'll handle this!" Ken/Burikinto promised.

Sasuke looked up. "So… that's the man." A small grin appeared on his face. "We kill him, and this whole 'thing' is over, right?" 'Mao' heard that and noticed that all three genin were grinning madly at him and had a small twinkle in their eyes. He gulped loudly as he imagined the unspeakable horrors they would do to him just so they could 'finish the movie', but he continued on regardless. "Did you really think you'd seen the last of me!? I…"

He was interrupted when a kunai – with an explosive note attached to it – blew up on the ice behind him. It had been thrown by Kakashi of all people. "Um… you could have at least let me finish…" he told the jounin.

The scripts these days were becoming less and less direct. Instead of having all the lines, acts and reactions down, they were becoming increasingly vague. For example, if Naruto was supposed to talk to another one of the actors, the script would merely say 'Naruto talks to Burikinto', instead of having an actual line down. Other times, such as this scene, were filled with one-liners for the shinobi, the most common one telling them that they just comment when such and such happened. Important scenes and lines, such as the current one with Mao, were the few times that everything was written out, though any improvisations were taken as well.

"I wanted to do that," Naruto and Sasuke whined together, while the crew muttered about just what Kakashi was doing, though Makino looked excited that the copy nin was living a little, since he usually didn't.

"Everyone get back," Kakashi ordered in a loud voice. "Return to the ship now!"

At that last statement, nearly everyone started muttering in confusion. Just what was the jounin doing?

The answer came almost immediately. Right beneath where Kakashi had thrown the kunai, a figure stood up and tossed his white covering. It was a man in a strange outfit with chunks of metal in various places. His long purple hair was tied in a ponytail and he wore a hitai-ite on his forehead, with four specks on it in the shape of an angle.

A Yuki-nin.

"Greetings, friends. Welcome to the Snow Country," the man greeted them.

Kakashi's eye widened. "You're…" He cut off when he detected a second chakra signature. On top of a large ice mass, another person was there. She too wore the same style of uniform and hitai-ite as the other one did, though her pink hair stuck out on the sides of her helmet. "I welcome you, Princess Koyuki. I hope you brought the Hex Crystal with you."

Kakashi visibly flinched at the name. He looked at Yukie and repeated. "Princess Koyuki… you?"

_Koyuki? _PRINCESS _Koyuki!? _Naruto repeated to himself. He too found himself staring at Yukie, or Koyuki, or whatever the hell her name was. _These nins are definitely talking about her._ _Are you trying to tell me that this whiny actress is a real princess!? NO FUCKING WAY!! _

A ways to the group's right, another mound of 'snow' erupted, revealing a large man. He also wore the same metallic uniform and headband that the other two did. Unlike the other two, his left arm was an immense mechanical arm, as opposed to the normal flesh and blood one might expect. "You're as good as they say, Hatake Kakashi," the man said. "We couldn't get any closer to the famous copy nin than this."

"Sasuke! Naruto! Sakura!" Kakashi barked. "You three protect Yukie and cover the crew's retreat back to the ship." Then, in a louder voice, he yelled "EVERYONE BACK TO THE SHIP!!"

They all started muttering amongst themselves, wondering just what was going on. But they weren't moving. "MOVE NOW!!" Naruto roared at them.

THAT got them moving.

It did the three Yuki-nin as well. "Fubuki. Mizore," the first enemy nin called out as he jumped towards the group. "I leave the princess to you, then."

"Whatever," the kunoichi, Kakuyoku Fubuki, replied as she jumped down as well.

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke ran forward and surrounded the actress as Kakashi sprinted forward to engage the first Yuki-nin. They both stopped mere meters away from each other and just looked at each other. "It's been a long time, Kakashi. I hope you're not planning on running away. Like the last time."

"Rouga Nadare," was Kakashi's only reply. Instantly, both ninja leapt forward and starting exchanging a series of punches and kicks. Both separated, then launched themselves at each other, clashing each time. They continued doing this as they moved higher and higher on one of the icebergs.

The Yuki-nin, identified as Fuyuguma Mizore, reached behind him and took a snowboard from his back. He jumped on it and snow began flying everywhere. The nin then shot down the snowy slope at an incredible speed.

Naruto couldn't help but be in a little awe at that little stunt. That actually looked like fun! He made a mental note to try that himself someday. He was about to spring forward when he noticed that someone else had already started running at the enemy.

Sakura.

* * *

This day so far was proving to be quite eventful, especially since she had woken up before dawn for some odd reason. Seeing how she was already up, she grabbed a certain item, had a quick breakfast and headed towards the back of the ship, where she started practicing with it until she heard Kaijo's loud voice about some large iceberg. A short while later, she and everyone else were brought to the iceberg, ready for another day of torment. She wondered why her incredible acting skills were wasted with the likes of the bastard director.

Then these unknown hostile snow nin appeared, and Sakura suddenly found herself feeling something she hadn't really felt before. It was that feeling that caused Sakura to act first against them.

She wasn't feeling what you would call impatient, hopeful, or even eager. None of those were what caused Sakura to take on the enemy first. If it were to be defined as a word, the closest would be: need. It was more of a feeling of needing to know if all her effort up until now was really paying off, if she was truly becoming stronger in her own way and not just fooling herself. Had she really improved, not just in the shinobi arts, but mentally as well? Truly ready to face an opponent head on for the mission, rather than just staying on the sidelines and watching?

She wanted to proudly know that she could help her teammates, fighting by their sides. Not as their burden or someone who needed to be protected, but as an equal. A fellow shinobi.

And this is where she would make her stand. Right here. Right now.

She took three kunai and threw them at the enemy Yuki-nin. Once the knives got close, they seemed to shatter, and Mizore didn't so much as flinch. He just kept boarding right near her, yelling "YOUJO!!" as he attempted to smack her head. She ducked as the man slid right by.

The man quickly made a one hundred eighty degree turn on his board, while Sakura started performing several seals. Before she was even halfway done, Mizore jumped off his board and came right at her. Sakura was surprised by the move and was forced to jump back, which also made her stop her seals temporarily (she wasn't experienced enough to continue to making seals while moving quickly, like Naruto and Sasuke could). Mizore's metal arm crushed the ice where she had just been standing. He then attempted to swipe kick her, causing her to retreat more. Again, Mizore didn't stop. He did a quick knife edge kick at her, followed up by a fierce left hook. During all of this, Sakura was barely able to back away, let alone block or counterattack.

That's when several shuriken collided with the man. Like the kunai before, they too had shattered. Both shinobi looked at the thrower. It was Sasuke, who didn't hesitate as he threw a windmill shuriken in response. It also broke against the man, but that gave Sakura an opening. She ran forward and hit the Mizore squarely on the face as hard as she could. The big man's hands went flying to his face as he began screaming, leaving Sakura a tad bit confused. Sure, she had beaten on Sasuke and Naruto plenty of times during this mission but did her punches really hurt _that much?_

"MI DOSE!!! MI DOSE!! YU BROKE MI DOSE!!" Mizore shouted through his hands. He slowly brought his hands down and Sakura saw that his nose looked like it had been squashed flat, plus there was a considerable amount of blood all over his face now. And Mizore was now thoroughly pissed. "YU _BRAT_!!"

As for Sasuke, the other Yuki-nin was going after him now. "Now, now," she critiqued as she ran through her own seals. "Don't get involved in another's fight when you have ME to deal with! Hyouton: Tsubame Fubuki!"

Sasuke jerked in disbelief. _**HYOUTON!?**_ These nin could perform the same techniques as the one called Haku could do!? He quickly activated his Sharingan. He watched as many swallow-like birds formed out of ice and came directly at him. There was no doubt now. It was the same!

_No… not the same…_ Sasuke corrected himself as he dodged the swarm of birds flying at him. Haku had been able to create ice with pure ease. It had been no more difficult for him to do so than it was for him to breathe. Yet this shinobi had to concentrate just as hard as with any other element. In addition, the ice was very roughly formed, while Haku's had been so smooth. The difference seemed to be that these shinobi manufactured ice, rather than naturally allowing the ice to form as Haku did. He then noticed that the birds suddenly turned around and came back at him.

If Sasuke had been anyone else, he would have gawked at the injustice of it all, but instead he immediately started preparing his jutsu. This Yuki-nin was able to perform a seeking jutsu!? One that _didn't _backfire on the user!? How!? He cried out "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" He blew out a fireball which collided with the birds. To his great relief, he found that he could melt this ice.

As for Naruto…

"WHY AM I ON GUARD DUTY!?"

He was currently whining. He then looked behind himself and saw Sandayuu running towards him. Now why was the old man running in the opposite direction of where he was supposed to be going? "Princess!" he shouted. Curious, Naruto looked farther to his left and saw that Yukie… er… Koyuki… hadn't moved at all. Naruto swore to himself about letting her fall into his blind spot. He quickly promised himself to seriously work on that later. "Yo! What are you waiting for!? Move it! As in NOW, not LATER!" he yelled.

She didn't respond to him, but she did seem to hear Sandayuu. She was looking at him like she was seeing him for the first time. "Sandayuu… you…"

"Hyourou no Jutsu!" Fubuki yelled. Immediately, several large ice columns began erupting towards Sasuke, who was forced to leap back from each one. He quickly ran through the seals, fifteen in all, and yelled "Katon: Karyuu Kyuuzou!" He blew out the fire and it rapidly stretched towards the kunoichi, who merely smirked as another ice column emerged in front of her for protection. As soon as the fire hit the ice…

KABOOM!!!

The ice shattered and Fubuki was sent rolling across the ice and crashed into another ice mound.

Now it was Sasuke's turn to smirk. Finally, something that went RIGHT! This jutsu worked out and didn't backfire on him, or electrocute his throat. It worked out almost as a miniature version of Naruto's insane Katon that he had used against Shukaku Gaara.

As it should have, since Sasuke had modeled it after the Karyuu Saikou Kyuuzou itself.

He could still remember when he saw it in action. How Naruto, engulfed in what he now knew was the Kyuubi's youki, bloody and quite injured, had used that jutsu on the large sand demon and how it OBLITERATED not only the sand demon, but an entire section of the surrounding forest! Nor did Sasuke forget his first reaction to seeing such a destructive jutsu that the blond wielded.

_POWER!!!_

His Sharingan had been on, and Naruto's Oboro had not. Thanks to the hawk-like vision the Sharingan granted him, as well as the fact that the Kyuubi's youki was not as dense as the Oboro, Sasuke had seen it. The seals used, the chakra control and precision that was required, exactly how to manipulate the fire to do his bidding, he had seen all of it. And it was now engraved into his memory. And being the arrogant, hot-headed, must-have-strength-at-all-costs attitude, idiot self – _OK… that's enough,_ Sasuke thought to himself – he had been, how could he _not_ be tempted to try it for himself?

And while Sasuke had been all those things and more, he was certainly NOT stupid. He knew that if he actually attempted to use the Karyuu Saikou Kyuuzou, he'd probably kill not only himself, but everything else within a couple hundred meter radius. Rather violently too.

So he went for the next best thing: recreate it from scratch.

He had started out simply: using the Goukakyuu and applying changes as need. He went slowly, applying careful adjustments as he did, experimenting with everything he could think of, from playing with the jutsu's power, to how fast it would move, to how much to manipulate the fire, to whether he should blow it out of his mouth or create it in his hand, always in small increments. It was during this time that he made an interesting discovery: he was better at controlling the fire in his hand, rather than blowing it out of his mouth. Whether it was because the hand was the easiest place to mold chakra, or if he was simply talented at that – or even both – he didn't really know. But with that discovery, he put the recreation of the Karyuu Saikou Kyuuzou on hold and began focusing his efforts into his hands.

This eventually led him to the creation of the Gouka Tenohira.

Then when he had 'returned' to Konoha, he began reworking on the recreation, eventually achieving the current result: Karyuu Kyuuzou, during this mission. Though it was nowhere near the power of its predecessor, it would suffice. Besides, he had a feeling it would be his work with the Gouka Tenohira that would lead him to his ultimate potential with fire, _not_ the Karyuu Kyuuzou. It was more appropriate that way, since he would become stronger through his own creation, not by mimicking someone else's jutsu.

He saw the enemy kunoichi slowly start to get up from where she had crashed. Can't have that now. He flipped out three pieces of wire, two in his hands and one in his mouth, and hurled it towards her, tying her to the ice mound securely. He then made several seals, ending with the tora seal, mouth wire in-between his fingers. "Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu!" Immediately, the wires were aflame and went streaking towards the enemy, striking home.

When Koyuki/Yukie saw all that fire, any desire that was left to move was now completely lost. She could see the fires of her home once again, more clearly than ever! She could see a younger version of herself in front of a mirror, and then saw that mirror shatter! Then the body… She fell to her knees and grabbed her head, trying to force out those memories!

"Princess!" Sandayuu tried desperately. "We must get back to the ship, or you'll…"

"I DON'T CARE IF I DIE!!" she shouted. "I… I WON'T GO BACK TO THE SNOW COUNTRY!!"

"We can argue about this later!" Naruto yelled, frustrated as well. He hadn't been able to fight anyone and needed to vent some LONG stored up frustration! He hated watching on the sidelines! "Get your ass on that ship right now, or I'll drag you there myself!" he said as he ran towards her. Unfortunately for him, because of the memories, she could no longer control the nausea she felt from last night's alcohol. The second Naruto touched her… she vomited right on top of him.

"GROSS!!!!" Naruto yelled, desperately wiping himself off. "NASTY!!! I! _HATE! __**GUARD DUTY!!!**_" In response, the actress passed out.

Meanwhile, at the fights, Sakura had just narrowly avoided Mizore's strings that had launched out from his hand. Once she cut them with a kunai, she threw the said weapon and began the seals again. _Must finish this time!_

"Ive hud emough, YOUJO!!!" Mizore sneered, rushing her again. "It's tme…"

"Aikurushii Sakura no Jutsu," Sakura muttered _very _quickly under her breath, just barely finishing the seals. To her complete surprise, her genjutsu seemed to disperse and vanish! And Mizore didn't even do ANYTHING!

"…_fo yu_…" he continued, bringing up his left arm up. Sakura's eyes went wide. Her confusion allowed him to get close to her! She had no choice but to block this time around. She brought her arms up and crossed them…

"…TU DIE!!!" He brought his arm down hard. Sakura's feeble defense did nothing to stop the metal from hitting her. It plowed right on through and struck Sakura hard in the head, drawing everyone's attention. Her mouth was wide open, as were her eyes, and she seemed to be in shock. All that she could think about was the PAIN soaring through her head!

Mizore didn't stop. He reared his arm back. This time, there was an erupting noise and the arm suddenly moved nearly _four times_ as fast as normal, striking her right in the stomach. She gawked while coughing up blood and went soaring into the sky. He pressed yet another button on his arm and the entire thing launched itself after her, grabbing her ankle. Immediately, he retracted his arm and jerked the pink-haired girl right back at him. Seconds later, she was right back with him and his right fist slammed into her face, ironically missing her own nose.

"SAKURA!!!" both Naruto and Sasuke shouted as Sakura flew through the air once again. This time, Mizore didn't try to catch her since she crashed into another piece of ice landscape.

Both boys paled slightly when they realized that Mizore still wasn't satisfied, because he was running straight towards her again. In response, they both ran in her direction, both preparing another jutsu.

For Sasuke, he was halfway through his own when he noticed something bad out of the corner of his scared eye. It was the place where he had blasted Fubuki… except she wasn't there! What was there was what looked like a melted basic ice sculpture, with the kanji 'LOSER!' on its forehead.

_Kawarimi!?_ he thought at once. Immediately, he began looking for the Yuki-nin. Where was she…?

Soon after, he detected her chakra signature again… _right behind him and coming fast!_ He barely had time to look over his shoulder to see that Fubuki had activated some kind of glider on her back and was soaring straight at him at a rapid pace. Her right hand was what got his attention: it looked like ice and snow was flying at furious speeds around her right fist. The chakra emitting from it was so intense, Sasuke mentally wondered how the hell he missed it!!

And the worst part was she was about to hit him with that thing in LESS THAN A SECOND!

Fubuki grinned as she saw the kid's panicked face. This would be sweet payback indeed. As she prepared to strike him with her Shimo Arashi on his exposed back, the raven-haired brat pivoted at the last possible moment, making her just strike lightly against his back tearing both shirt and flesh as she flew on by, though not before she felt his fist slam against her back, not that it did any good. Afterwards, she took the sky again and looked at her opponent, who was moaning in pain and constantly rubbing his back where she had it.

_This brat is good. That took some serious skill and timing to be able to dodge like he did. If he did it too soon, I would have noticed and adjusted. If he did it too late, I would have been able to land a direct blow, rather than the glancing blow I managed._ _He even managed to sneak in a back-knuckle as I flew by. _Fubuki allowed her grin to bloom into a full-blown smile._ Oh yes… this brat is definitely good._

She saw the boy struggle up and glare at her, much to her satisfaction. Curiously, he made a half tora seal with his left hand. Now what could he possibly be thinking… _NO!!!_ Fubuki's eyes went wide as she quickly looked at her back and her fears were confirmed.

There was an explosive note there.

_KUSO!!_ Panic swelled up inside her. _HOW!?!? WHEN!?!? _Then hit it her. _DAMN BRAT!!! THAT WASN'T A BACK-KNUCKLE! IT WAS HIM PLANTING HIS BOMB!!!_

Sasuke's face was impassive as he said, "Boom."

The note exploded and Fubuki went spiraling out of control and crashed into the ground, squealing like a newborn, landing in a rather uncomfortable position. "Hmph," Sasuke snorted. "That armor protected her from the worst of the explosion. No matter." He took off running again, trying to ignore the newfound agony on his back.

As for Naruto, he managed to finish his seals, took a deep breath and shouted "FUUTON: KAZE OSHIYARU!" He blew out a fierce wind out of his mouth. A split second before it slammed against the snow bastard, it suddenly lost all its power, becoming a pathetically weak breeze. WHAT THE FUCKING HELL!?!?

He didn't know what was worse, the fact that his new jutsu had utterly failed, or that Mizore didn't even stop on his rampage. Desperate, Naruto created about two dozen Kage Bunshins, activated his Oboro and ran as fast as he could at the Yuki-nin. But it wasn't fast enough. He was too far. All he could do was watch what happened next.

Sakura was breathing heavily on all fours when Mizore finally came up to her. In one swift motion, he delivered a devastating kick to her chin. For the third time, she was launched into the air, though this time she let out a painful scream. She hit the ground back a ways and went rolling about twenty meters before she finally came to a halt.

"_**DAMN YOU!!!**_" Naruto roared as he rushed towards that bastard. Large amounts of youki exploded all around him and his left eye snapped open. This bastard was going to pay dearly!!

The new foreign chakra alerted all the remaining combatants. Mizore froze in place and looked at the horde of blonds coming right at him. _What… what is that chakra!? And what's with that strange glow around him!?_

As for Kakashi and Nadare, they stopped in mid-exchange. As one, they both looked in the direction where that chakra was coming from. Nadare actually looked rather spooked. "What? Is? _That?!"_

_Naruto…_ Kakashi answered silently. Something was very wrong over there. He had heard the two boys' angry shouts, but had been too busy with Nadare to look. After finally looking and understanding the exact nature of what was going on, he took off in that direction as well.

The Narutos ran towards Mizore, who grabbed the first two by their heads and smashed them together, making them vanish. He swung around with a right roundhouse kick and destroyed a third one, while simultaneously grabbing another Naruto. He threw that said Naruto, which collided with two more, making them all vanish.

No less than four Narutos came forward, all making the tora handseal. _A Katon jutsu? _Mizore thought as a smirk appeared on his face. _That'll be worthless._

The four Narutos took a deep breath and then exhaled, blowing out a dense cloud of smoke, to which Mizore began chuckling to himself. This brat couldn't even do a… he stopped as a fist struck him in the side of the face. He then felt another Naruto's drop kick on his back. Mizore hissed under his breath and smashed his left hand on the ground as hard as he could. The sheer force of the blow pushed away the smoke and several of the clones.

Only to realize that there was _another_ blond-haired shinobi right behind him, his arm encased in that deadly wind again. Mizore was aghast. Was all that up until now just a distraction so that this one could sneak up on him!?

"_**GOT YOU!**_" Naruto yelled, his Kaze Kiwa striking the base of the bastard's left arm. Before he even made contact, the Kaze Kiwa died and scattered. _WHAT!?_ Naruto mentally shouted. There was no way that he would have messed up on this jutsu, so what the hell went wrong!?

Mizore quickly recovered and threw a left punch, followed by a very quick right jab at Naruto, who calmly caught both with his own hands. For a split second, they merely struggled to get the upper hand… until Naruto's Oboro began to flicker, then it completely shattered as easily as glass.

"_**WHAT!?!**_" Naruto cried yet again. How the hell did his _OBORO _fail!?

Mizore acted immediately. He knocked Naruto's arms aside, then brought his hands together, with Naruto's head right in the middle of that painful slap. Naruto moaned as Mizore kicked him away. "Get yu laler… kill youjo firs."

A split second later, Naruto heard "SUITON: SUIRYUUDAN NO JUTSU!!!"

Naruto almost didn't recognize the voice. A split second later, the large water dragon slammed down right in front of Mizore, causing water to splash everywhere around him. Mizore grunted as he desperately tried to slap the water away. He couldn't see anything!

The next thing he knew was Kakashi's very violent and powerful kick to his face.

Now it was Mizore's turn to go flying through the air, though when he landed he actually bounced a couple of times before finally crashing into his own ice mound, all of which collapsed on top of him.

As for the movie staff, they were continuing to run to the ship. Most of them, anyway. Makino had refused to get out of his chair, so both he and his chair were being carried by Kaijo and Hidero. "Keep the camera rolling even if it kills you!" he was shouting. "Show them the resolve of the cinematographer!"

Naruto rubbed the sides of his head to fight off the migraine he was getting. "_**Hatake… what the hell is that armor!?**_" That had to be it! There was no other explanation for three of his jutsu to fail completely, two of which were his best ones! He noticed that Sasuke had caught up to Sakura. He put her arm around his neck and began supporting her as they both made their way back to the ship.

"Yeah, I know," Kakashi said sternly. "Just be careful, it's chakra armor, created by the ninja here in the Snow Country." His eye darkened. "But it's a lot more powerful than it used to be. And to make matters worse, only Jounin are allowed to wear it." _Though Yukigakure's standards for their shinobi are not even close to par with that of the other Shinobi villages, much less Konoha itself, _he added to himself. _But that's all a moot point for now._

"So… you remember," came Nadare's voice. Both Konoha nin looked up at the sole Yuki-nin standing. "The armor increases the chakra within one's own body, strengthening the various jutsu. A chakra barrier gathers around us as well, creating anti-chakra which is able to distort and cancel out the chakra of our adversaries. As a result, ninjutsu and genjutsu are useless against us."

If Naruto wasn't already pissed, he certainly would have been now. Couldn't anyone have bothered to mention that fact EARLIER!?!

As for the other two genin, Sakura looked up at Nadare. "So… that's way my genjutsu… was useless…" They both watched as the Yuki-nin cried out "Hyouton: Haryuu Mouko!"

"Suiton: Suiryuudan!" they heard Kakashi counter. They watched as Nadare's ice tiger and Kakashi's water dragon raced towards each other. Nadare's jutsu then spiraled around Kakashi's Suiryuudan, freezing it completely and shattering it. Sakura gulped slightly. "Is… is that…" There was a touch of fear in her voice as she watched Nadare's attack slam down near Naruto and Kakashi. Naruto was currently in awe of what just transpired. What kind of jutsu was that!? That wasn't any of the five elements, yet it was clearly an element of some kind. He shook his head as he made several seals. No time to worry about that now.

"If you're asking if he's using Hyouton like Haku did, then yes," Sasuke finished for Sakura. He then noticed that the other two Yuki-nin were starting to recover now. He grunted as he swept Sakura off her feet into his arms, bridal style.

"Hey!" she said, mostly out of surprise more than anything else.

"This is taking too long," he snapped, a tad bit more harshly than he meant but now was not the time to worry about such things. He took off running to the ship. "We need to move faster."

As for the other two, Naruto finished the seals for his jutsu. As the ice tiger crashed in front of them, he leapt into the air and shouted "_**Suiton: Booruban Mizu Dangan!**__"_

A column of water rushed up and headed for Nadare, who noticed that the tip of that column was quite sharp and rotating intensely. But even that attribute paled in comparison to the _speed_ at which this jutsu was traveling. Nadare smiled in spite of himself. The brat didn't listen, did he?

That's when the jutsu collided with Nadare's footing, boring through the ice as if it were merely paper. And it didn't stop there, as it kept going and going through any and all ice in its direction. The entire iceberg seemed to shake slightly. Nadare began fumbling his way down, trying not to lose his balance and fall. Not an easy feat, but he managed.

That is… until about ten Narutos appeared around him.

"_What!?_" He shouted in surprise. When did that brat make these!? He suddenly remembered that the brat had made around two dozen of them the first time… he quickly tried to remember how many Mizore destroyed… but even so… _Don't tell me… did he send these ones after me from the VERY BEGINNING!?_ He didn't know what was worse: the fact that the blond had planned that from the beginning, or the fact that he didn't notice because he was too focused on Hatake Kakashi.

The Narutos began pummeling the living daylights out of Nadare as they all fell.

Kakashi nodded at Naruto's handiwork. "Fall back, Naruto. I'll cover you."

"_**Hai**_" was the reply as Naruto took off. He quickly created two Kage Bunshins to help him get Yukie/Koyuki and Sandayuu (who was currently fumbling something in his hands but he didn't give it a second thought) onto the ship as they were the last ones on the iceberg now. Seconds later, Nadare crashed into the ground as the Narutos poofed out of existence. "You're not going anywhere!!" Nadare shouted. He was enraged! He couldn't believe he allowed some stupid little genin to catch _him, _Anarisuto no Nadare, off guard. "Hyouton: Itsukaku Hakuegei!"

An enormous whale made of ice emerged from the ocean and slammed down onto the iceberg, narrowly missing Naruto. Naruto quickly turned looked back at him and patted his rear, followed by a quick face. "You MISSED!!" He was slowly powering down at the moment, his eye already shut again. Nadare roared in rage. The other two then joined him and all three charged as one.

The entire iceberg continued to shake and crumble as Kakashi uncovered his own Sharingan eye, though for some odd reason, it seemed a tad bit too cold now. "That was an impressive jutsu. Now… let me show you mine." He quickly ran through the seals. _I have to hurry. Thanks to Naruto's and Nadare's earlier attacks, this iceberg is already coming apart._ "Hyouton: Itsukaku Hakuegei!"

The three nin came to a halt. "Copying my moves, as usual. You won't settle the fight doing that," said Nadare.

"Settle the fight?" Kakashi shot back. "Sorry, not my intention."

"Nani?"

Kakashi's large ice whale rammed into Nadare's own and they both went crashing down onto the iceberg itself. The iceberg's collapse rate increased dramatically. Kakashi then attempted to move… but couldn't. _What!? _Kakashi looked down and saw that his feet were encased in ice. When did that happen!? By whom!? Alarmed now, he used his Sharingan to trace the chakra source back to its caster. What he saw astounded him.

_IMPOSSIBLE!!_

That was Kakashi's only thought as the iceberg collapsed right on top of him.

**

* * *

On the boat**

"And cut!" Makino ordered.

"I hope we got all that," Kajio muttered, not wanting to do a repeat of all that. That's when everyone noticed that someone was missing. When they all realized who, it became deathly quiet as they all watched the iceberg collapse into nothing. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were gripping the sides of the boat until their knuckles were white. Disbelief was on all three of their faces. It couldn't be…

"_**KAKASHI!!!!**_" all three yelled, even Naruto.

There was no way even the copy nin could survive the entire iceberg falling on him like that…

Among the crowd, though the person's visible face showed the same worry and disbelief as the rest, he was laughing mentally. Oh yes… revenge was sweet. When those Yuki-nin had showed up as early as they did, he felt that his plans and mission might be compromised. Instead, the Yuki-nin's attack had given him the opening he needed at last. Perhaps they could be more useful in the future than he had originally considered.

Finally, the obstacle of Hatake Kakashi was out of the way. _Now _he could act!

Bakeru allowed a very small smirk to appear on his face. "Sayonara… Hatake Kakashi."

* * *

(**Author's Note**) And so the iceberg battle ends with dire results: not only has Kakashi apparently been killed in the act, but Bakeru now feels that he can act without opposition. This is something I have intended to do from all the way back in the planning stages for this story. Originally, I was going to call this chapter 'The Death of Kakashi', but I decided to change it. Didn't seem really appropriate. 

Obviously, given that this story is canon for the Legacy Series (and since Kakashi has made appearances in both Makaze Rekidaishi and Chuuten), Kakashi is _not_ dead. But for the time being… he is out of this story (how long that is, only I know, heh heh). For all intents and purposes, as far as all the characters are concerned, especially Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke, Kakashi is deceased. What will these three do now that their strongest member and leader can no longer aid them? Especially when they apparently still have some issues amongst themselves to work out? It's time to sink or swim, you three. Almost literally in this case.

Sakura received a small reprieve in this chapter. Originally, her beating by Mizore was to be a LOT more severe. I don't hate Sakura personally, nor do I feel the need to bash her character any, but when I typically do something like this, I prefer to go all the way and not hold back. I don't mind being 'evil' at times like this. The reason I didn't was simple: if I did, then Sakura would be out of commission for the rest of the story, and to be quite blunt – that was not acceptable. Can't let Naruto and Sasuke get all the show time, she's as much as a part of this story as those two are. So I adjusted her beating to what I felt Legacy Sakura would be able to recover from quickly, while still making it rather intense.

Sasuke using a miniature version of the Karyuu Saikou Kyuuzou was done mostly to satisfy my own curiosity. When I was rereading the first story and came to that part, I began wondering just how Sasuke felt and reacted to seeing that insane Katon in action (the next scene that featured Sasuke was him talking to Sakura about how he thought Naruto was a Jinchuuriki, followed by him vented his frustration, nothing about the Karyuu Saikou Kyuuzou or his thoughts about it. Merely 'Where had the blond learned those jutsus?'). Now, I could have simply asked Tellemicus about this, but I decided to take a chance and fill in the blanks myself. To do so, I went looking through the story for clues, such as what capabilities Tellemicus had given the Sharingan for his fics.

So… the Oboro also shattered when it came into contact with Chakra armor. I suppose this means it has technically been defeated, but since it's only possible with direct contact, it's nothing to really worry about.

Youjo – little girl

Anarisuto no Nadare – Nadare the Analyst.

Jutsu used in this chapter (I'd figure I'd try and add 'official' definitions for the Yuki-nin's Hyouton techniques. Only seems fair. It should be noted that Naruto completed his new Fuuton and Suiton jutsus during the time after the previous day's filming, but before Operation Pandoranohako, as did Sasuke with his new Katon):

**Hyouton: Tsubame Fubuki--**_Ice Release: Snow Storm Swallows_//Allows Fubuki to form many small birds of the ice, each approximately the size of a standard shuriken that are able to hone on their target until they either hit it, run out of power, or are destroyed. The birds can last approximately forty five seconds. The trick to this jutsu is that the user has to be able to handle multiple projectiles at once through their chakra control. If the user messes up on even just one bird, the entire flock will fail. Individually, the damage done by each bird is minimal, but if the target is hit by a sufficient number of them, it can be lethal. (High C-Class ninjutsu) (Fubuki).

**Hyourou no Jutsu**--_Ice Prison Technique_//Ice columns erupt from the ground to entrap the target at a surprising speed within a ten meter radius. The size and volume of each column can be adjusted to how the user deems fit. Fubuki can create as many of these columns as she sees fit, provided she has the chakra needed for each one since they must be individually created, but this results at a quick and constant speed, often surprising their target. The catch is that Fubuki must remain stationary during this time. It should be noted that this technique is only plausible under the conditions that the user is in a place with a lot of existing ice. (Low B-Class ninjutsu) (Fubuki)

**Katon: Karyuu Kyuuzou**--_Fire Dragon Explosion//_Sasuke's attempt to recreate the Katon: Karyuu Saikou Kyuuzou. Essentially, it's an upgraded Goukakyuu, with the principal factor being in its destructive power at a quick speed, though not as fast as the Kisou Karyuu. It requires not only a suitable amount of chakra control, but also suitable talent with Katon type chakra, otherwise Sasuke carries the risk of it literally exploding in his throat. The damage caused by this jutsu is equivalent to fifteen explosive notes. Like many Katon class ninjutsu, the more chakra that is put into it, the more powerful it can become, but doing so also increases the difficulty of keeping it under control. (High B-Class ninjutsu) (Sasuke)

**Katon: Karyuu Saikou Kyuuzou**--_Fire Release: Fire Dragon Supreme Explosion_//The second jutsu that Naruto learned from the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. Because of the jutsu's extremely high chakra and precise control requirements, this is commonly considered an S-Rank jutsu. The jutsu is very difficult to control, even for a Kage. Should the user gather chakra wrong, not be able to manipulate the fire, perform the fire conversion correctly, or even something as simple as just overpowering the jutsu, it will backfire and incinerate the user just as easily as it would the user's intended target. Because Naruto's alignment is with wind, he has a harder time than many shinobi in the conversion process. But it is entirely thanks to Kyuubi's youki being the very essence of fire that he is able to wield the jutsu at all. (S-Class Ninjutsu) Original technique created by Tellemicus.

Though not actually used in this chapter, it was included for reference purposes.

**Aisushoo Damii**--_Ice Show Dummy//_A decoy dummy made out of ice that a shinobi can switch with when using the Kawarimi, if nothing else is available to switch places with. It's very easy to make this, but one must be quick enough to make it in time to use. Users can leave their own special 'trademark' as an added bonus (E-Class ninjutsu).

**Hyouton: Shimo Arashi**--_Ice Release: Frost Storm//_A jutsu that overwhelmingly increases the punching power of the user while at the same time encompassing the entire fist with fragments of ice, resulting in the blow being bitterly cold as well as sharp. While the punching power is increased, the true damage of this jutsu is in the aftermath. A direct hit can result in a severe case of not only frostbite, but also badly cut skin. This, however, is truly a double-edged sword because the user _must_ be able to not only properly control the cold, but also the swarming ice shards. Failure to do so will result in their own hand – or in the worst case their entire arm – suffering the same effects.Even when handled correctly, the user will still feel a small degree of the aftermath themselves, but to those that live in the cold parts of the world, this is hardly a hindrance. (Low A-Class ninjutsu)

**Fuuton: Kaze Oshiyaru**--_Wind Release: Wind Thrust//_Naruto gathers a large amount of wind in his throat and then expels it at a violent speed. The wind itself is rather blunt, meaning that when it strikes the opponent, it causes a massive impact on the enemy's body, like being hit by a thrown Tatewaru, though the Kaze Oshiyaru's power is inferior to the Tatewaru by a fair margin. The Kaze Oshiyaru still requires a large amount of chakra and is able to last as long as Naruto is able to exhale his breath, which is approximately thirteen seconds, though it loses power the longer it lasts. (Mid B-Class ninjutsu) (Naruto)

**Hyouton: Haryuu Mouko**--_Ice Release: Destruction Dragon Fierce Tiger//_An ice technique created by Nadare to specifically counter Suiton class ninjutsu, in the form of an ice tiger. Nadare must be able to quickly determine how much chakra to put into this jutsu, not only to have enough power to shatter the opposing Suiton jutsu, but also have enough strength left to continue on and strike the opponent, a feat few can do. This means that Nadare must use more chakra than his opponent, or his own jutsu will be overwhelmed, or at the least only have enough power to stop the opposing Suiton. (Typically classified as a low A-Class ninjutsu, but it varies since it depends on what type of jutsu the opponent is using) (Nadare)

**Suiton: Booruban Mizu ****Dangan no Jutsu**--_Water Release: Drilling Water Bullet Technique_// A suiton designed to go at an _incredibly_ fast speed, created by using what Naruto has learned from both Suiton and Fuuton class ninjutsu (Suiton for the fast water, Fuuton for the sharp drill). With the 'sharp drill' at the front, this essentially makes it a water version of Naruto's Kaze Doriru. However, due to the fierce speed of this attack, Naruto has virtually no control over it, as opposed to a jutsu like the Suiryuudan. This results in him being only able to shoot it in a straight line, which means that aiming this jutsu is also rather difficult. All this makes the jutsu a one-shot attempt: hit and the opponent's screwed; miss and it's wasted. Due to its speed and sharpness, this jutsu can easily pierce things such as rocks, trees, ice, even metal if enough chakra is used. (High B-Class ninjutsu) (Naruto)

**Hyouton: Itsukaku Hakuegei**--_Ice Release: One Horn White Whale//_Nadare creates a gigantic whale composed of ice, allowing him to smash virtually anything in his path to dust, such as surrounding landscape if nothing else. Due to the sheer size and mass, it takes an enormous amount of chakra to use. Aiming is not really required for this jutsu due to its sheer size, but it is rather slow to move. If an opponent is caught underneath this whale, death is certain. (High A-Class ninjutsu) (Nadare/Kakashi)

**Hyouton: Damashikomu**--_Ice Release: Ensnare//_A simple ice jutsu that encases the opponent's feet to the ground, but no more than that. Because of this simplicity, this allows the user to cast the jutsu from a far range, plus being a low powered technique, it is easily missed if the target is not actively aware of it. Because it's so simple, it is quite easy to break out of in a few short moments. It's no more than a mere stalling maneuver to cover a retreat, or in this case, prevent a retreat. (Upper D-Class ninjutsu)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him._


	9. Team 7's Decision

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 9 – Team 7's Decision!_

**On the ship, 'Board Room'**

**7:29 am, 15 minutes after the battle**

"Alright!" Naruto yelled, slamming his hands down on the table in anger. The sound of his hands hitting the wooden table echoed loudly across the room, making the non-shinobi members flinch badly. His one eye looked at each of the men in quick succession. "Unless somebody explains what the hell is going on with this mission in five seconds, I'm going to start pulverizing everything I can get my hands on, starting with you! So fess up! One!"

As they had been pulling out of the area of the battle, Naruto had sent a small group of Kage Bunshins to search the area for any signs of Kakashi, alive or… otherwise. While they waited, Sasuke had excused himself to go change shirts, though neither teammate commented to it. When the clones had all returned ten minutes later, they had found nothing. Given the circumstances, and in accordance with the Shinobi rules outline, it was silently agreed to classify Kakashi as MIA… which effectively meant that he was no longer in the realm of the living as far as the mission was concerned.

Silently, because not one of them could manage to say the words out loud.

Naruto, along with Sakura, Sasuke, Makino, Kaijo and Sandayuu, were all currently in what was commonly known as the 'Board Room' amongst the movie staff, where all the planning, meetings, and arrangements for the film were discussed. The shinobi were sitting on one side of the large oak table, while the other three sat across from them; Makino was facing Naruto, Sandayuu faced Sasuke and Kaijo faced Sakura. Sakura had been very quiet, not having spoken since they all yelled 'Kakashi' and looked like she was on the verge of tears, while Naruto was enraged, snapping at everything and everyone. Only Sasuke seemed to be his normal, impassive self, though if one looked at his hands, they would see him gripping his shorts very tightly, as his knuckles were pure white. The three remaining shinobi had dragged the three said people to this room and started demanding answers (which Naruto took full charge of). The only reason Yukie wasn't in the room as well was because she still hadn't regained consciousness.

"Two!" Naruto roared. Still the other three remained silent. Suddenly he felt a strong grip on his shoulder. Snapping his head to the side, he saw that Sasuke had stood up and grabbed his shoulder, and was looking him directly in the eye. Before Naruto could utter a word, Sasuke struck him across the face with his fist.

"TEME!" Naruto yelled.

"Shut. Up," Sasuke retorted, his voice strained. He spoke barely about a whisper, yet the force behind his words was just as strong as if he was yelling. It seemed that despite the impassive face he wore, he wasn't very far from acting like Naruto was right now, like he wanted more than anything to join Naruto in ranting, yelling, and promising threats of destruction. With one hand, he pointed down at Naruto's seat. "Sit. Now. Or I'll throw you out myself. You're a shinobi. _Act like one!_"

For several moments, the two boys simply locked glares and the others in the room would have sworn that another fight was about to break out. Surprisingly enough, Naruto snorted in frustration and sat back in his seat without so much as an insult. Sasuke didn't react at all to the blond's cooperativeness, but instead he looked at the three older men. "Start talking," he said slowly as he sat down, rubbing his back as he did. "Or both of us will be over to strangle you."

Makino was the one who seemed the least intimidated by the two hostile boys. He simply took out his pipe and took a quick puff. "What's the matter?" he asked, blowing out a long stream of smoke. "You were already told that this was an A-Ranked mission. That means you're expected to deal with such troubles. This job too tough for you genin after all? Maybe what Sandayuu said about all the praise your Hokage gave you three specifically was a load of crap?"

"_That's not the point!"_ Naruto roared at the man. In some ways, this was turning out just like Tazuna and the Wave Country. Why couldn't Team 7's clients be honest about their requests? What were they, cursed or damned or something? "We're supposed to be given all the details of the mission at the very beginning! Not one of you ever mentioned Yuki-nins, or how Yukie's a real fucking princess! Just pirates, bandits, business rivals and _maybe_ a shinobi or two! We're supposed to know all this shit beforehand so we can adequately prepare, or we end up dead like Hatake!"

"Naruto," Sasuke hissed again. Naruto threw him a murderous look, but said nothing more. Sasuke redirected his focus on the men. "Explain everything. Now!"

His voice was directed at Sandayuu, and all eyes locked on to him. "Aisuminasen," he said at last. "Yes… this mission is much more dangerous than the three of you were led to believe. If I understand your mission guidelines correctly, this mission would be technically classified as an S-Ranked mission, rather than the A-Rank you were led to believe." He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "To understand everything, you need to know what happened all those years ago.

"At a time before you three were even born, the Snow Country was ruled by a kind, just and peaceful daimyo. His name was Kazahana Sousetsu-sama. Though the Snow country was cold, he brought a sense of warmth and hope. He was truly dedicated to his people. He did everything he could to ensure his people's peace and happiness, and we all loved him for it. Sadly, his wife had passed away years earlier, shortly after their daughter was born.

"Lord Sousetsu-sama simply adored the Princess, Kazahana Koyuki-sama, the woman you three know as Fujikaze Yukie. She was his only child and heir to the throne, and her country loved her just as much as her father did. I myself served as Koyuki's personal hosakan, but she was so young at the time, it's no surprise that she doesn't recognize me now." A smile appeared on his face. "Ah… those were idyllic times." The smile then disappeared from Sandayuu's face as quickly as it appeared.

"But then, ten years ago on that cursed day, Lord Sousetsu-sama's younger brother, Kazahana Doto and the shinobi of Yukigakure, as well as a small but significant portion of the Daimyo's forces, initiated a coup d'etat. The magnificent Kazahana Castle burned to the ground. Lord Sousetsu-sama was so cruelly murdered by his brother's own hands in such a way that Doto should forfeit his right to claim he is a human being. And I feared that the Princess had perished as well. Those of us firmly loyal to Lord Sousetsu-sama tried to fight them back, but we had no Snow shinobi to support us, and our best warriors had joined Doto's side. Though we had superior numbers, we were overwhelmed completely, fated to either die or scatter to the four winds.

"Then, six months ago, I discovered that our beloved princess was still alive and acting in the movies. I cannot express the amount of joy I felt." Tears started forming in the man's eyes. "She was… she was alive after all those years! I started gathering what loyal followers I could find and we all got ourselves hired as studio staff. Then it was a simple matter to persuade the movie officials to shoot in the Snow Country."

"So you just used us?!" Kaijo asked in disbelief.

Sandayuu looked down, not meeting the assistant director's eyes. "Gomennasai, but it was the only way to get the Princess to return home."

The three Konoha nin, Makino, and Kaijo were silent as they took all this information in first, though Sasuke was rubbing his back again. Finally Naruto spoke in a _calm_ voice. "I don't understand… none of your shinobi stood with you? They can't ALL have been in on the coup."

Sandayuu's voice was heavy. "I was just a simple hosakan… I don't know any real details of Yukigakure. It was said that the leader of the village at the time, Tanomoshii Mikata-sama, was a firm supporter of Lord Sousetsu-sama, as were her direct subordinates, a group known as the Saati Koukennin: the Thirty Guardians. Mikata-sama herself was supposedly one of the strongest shinobi that Yukigakure ever produced. But I never met her or her followers personally, and as I said: no Yuki-nin sided with us. What she and the rest did during the coup… and what she is doing now… I have no idea."

"What was Kakashi doing there?" Naruto looked up with an inquiring look at the Uchiha who had asked the question. The question seemed to snap Sakura out of her saddened self as she looked at Sasuke as well. "What are you talking about?" Naruto demanded. Where did that kind of question come from anyway?

"When the three of us - Kakashi, Sakura and myself - were at the studio – you were doing… whatever it was you were doing at that time – he mentioned that he had been to the Snow Country once before. Now that we know about this coup, I'm willing to bet that the mission he was on revolved around that," Sasuke answered. He looked back at Sandayuu, "Well? Why was he there?"

"He was my bodyguard…" came a voice at the door. That voice hadn't come from one of the six in the room; it came from the door. Yuk-… no… Koyuki was standing at the door, still in her pajamas, a coat over her shoulders, wearing slippers, and her necklace was visible. "Otousan had hired him and three of your village's other ANBU. At the time I didn't understand why, but now it seems apparent that he requested aid from Konoha." Koyuki's eyes fell a bit. "They were all stationed to guard me, but on the night of the coup… three of them were killed immediately while Kakashi was on patrol, by those same nin you all just fought. They dragged me to the throne room and forced me to watch my otousan butchered by Doto-ojiki. As all four of them laughed over my beloved otousan's corpse, Kakashi arrived. He attempted to fight, but it was three against one, four if you count Doto-ojiki himself. Kakashi then fled with me and we barely made it out alive."

"Princess!" Sandayuu said immediately, running towards her. "Please, you should be in bed…"

"Save it," Koyuki told him sharply. "I should have died that day."

Naruto's eyebrow rose at the comment.

"Please! You shouldn't say such things, Princess! We feared the worst; you can't imagine how frantic we all were! We prayed everyday for your life!"

Koyuki's stoic facial expression remained. "I may be alive, but my heart is dead. On that day, any tears I had left all dried up."

"We can discuss such things later," Sasuke interrupted, rubbing his back once more. "I have more questions." He looked at Sandayuu again. "How many men do you have with you?"

"Fifty warriors. I can vouch for all of them," Sandayuu answered immediately, wiping his tears away. He then rubbed the back of his hand. "Um… the best ones among us… are the ones that Naruto-kun slimed with his frog and tied to the sails…" he added.

All three, Naruto especially, looked dumbfounded. Those bodyguards had been Sandayuu's _best!?_ "And you plan on fighting back with these people!?" Naruto shouted in disbelief, not believing what he just heard.

There was no hesitation in Sandayuu's voice. "Hai. It doesn't matter if we are outmatched, outnumbered and outclassed. We are fighting for our country and the prosperity our nation once held under Lord Sousetsu-sama. We will give it our all because we cannot forget our honor or our duty!"

Ok… _that_ Naruto could understand.

"If Sousetsu-sama…" Sakura spoke for the first time. "…was so popular with your country, how was Doto able to form a coup against him?" She noticed Sasuke rubbing his back yet again. "Off with your shirt."

Sasuke visibly flinched at the order. "Excuse me?" he asked her in disbelief. Did she just say what he just thought? Naruto was wondering the same thing. Wasn't Sakura mad at him? Just what was going on in that mind of hers?

"You've been rubbing your back constantly ever since the battle ended," she told him. "Something has to be wrong with it."

"It's nothing," Sasuke insisted, immediately moving his hand away from his back.

"_Take it off now,"_ Sakura ordered in a hard voice. Sasuke and even Naruto gulped and inched themselves back due to the tone Sakura was now using. Naruto would never understand how someone so depressed just minutes ago could suddenly shift moods like that. _Women,_ he thought to himself. Sasuke started muttering under his breath as he stood up and took his shirt off. Sakura got up and looked at his back. What she saw in the center was a small blue spot that looked like dead skin covered in scratches, none of them deep. Sakura studied it for a moment in silence. "When did this happen?" she asked softly.

"It's _nothing,"_ Sasuke said, ignoring the question. A second later, he gave a small shriek. "What was _that for!?_" Sakura had just deliberately aggravated the injury.

"To see what 'nothing' is," she answered him coldly.

Sandayuu shifted in his seat a little. "It looks like he has a mild case of frostbite, but I've never seen it so… precise and scratched up like that."

"What exactly is 'frostbite?'" Naruto asked. Sure, he'd heard it mentioned once or twice, but since they all lived in a warm climate, rarely did they have cases of stuff like frostbite.

Kaijo was the one who answered. "It's a medical condition where damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to extreme cold, when the body is exposed to cold for long periods. This protective strategy can reduce blood flow in some areas of the body to dangerously low levels. The combination of cold temperature and poor blood flow can cause severe tissue injury by freezing the tissue."

What was this guy, a living medical textbook?

After his explanation, he looked at Sasuke as well. "How did you get it?" he asked.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "During the fighting… that snow ninja… Fubuki, I think she was called… grazed me with some kind of jutsu… it looked like snow and ice were spinning around her fist, which glowed blue. I dodged a direct hit, but I could still feel it some."

"So what do we do about it?" Makino asked. "We can't leave it untreated."

Sandayuu said. "You need to keep him, and most importantly his back, warm. Not hot, but warm. That's essential because too much heat can upset the injury and make it worse. You also need to dress the frostbitten area. And make sure to do so very carefully."

Naruto saw that Sakura was listening intently to what was being said. Then to Naruto's surprise, Sakura placed her hand on at the base of Sasuke's neck and forcefully shoved him down on the table. "Sakura-chan?" he asked carefully.

Sasuke, however… "You know…" he growled in a low voice, "I'm starting to get real pissed at the way you're…"

"And I'm sick and tired how you're not open with those closest to you and neglect them," Sakura interrupted softly. "Especially me…" Those last two words were said barely above that of a whisper, yet Sasuke and even Naruto heard them as if Sakura had yelled at them. Sasuke did not respond verbally, but he simply lay on the table. Sakura then performed a series of seals and muttered "Faiatama no Jutsu."

_Faiatama!?_ Both Sasuke and Naruto thought at once. Sakura could perform a Katon class ninjutsu!? Since when!? They watched Sakura's right hand, but instead of the normal ball of fire, it merely seemed to glow. She moved her hand over Sasuke's back, moving slightly as if she were ironing. Sasuke spoke from his position. "When did you learn –"

"The Faiatama?" Sakura finished as she continued working, and Sasuke began feeling a small, yet growing relief in his back. "A couple of months ago. I thought that learning it would be… a way to… impress you…" She looked uncomfortable with the revelation, but she continued before anyone could offer a comment. "But I'm not very good with it, so I've never bothered to try and use it, but even someone like me should be able to use it like this."

Neither boy was sure how to respond, so Naruto looked back at Sandayuu again. "The answer to her question?"

"Oh… right… gomen," Sandayuu said, having gotten off track. "At the time of Lord Sousetsu-sama's reign, Doto was commander-in-chief of the Daimyo's forces, as well as overseer to Yukigakure. Only his brother had more authority in military matters. He has always been an ambitious man, but he seemed devoted to his brother as much as anyone was. However, in the few years before the coup, his ambition seemed to… grow. He kept asking for more and more power, while at the same time, numerous _accidents_ began happening to his main competitors. One was found guilty of espionage, another planning at achieving great personal gain, and so on. It was always one of the men that Lord Sousetsu-sama had his complete trust in, and every time, it was always by 'evidence' that only Doto… 'found.'

"During this time, several of Lord Sousetsu-sama's men kept pointing out how… 'convenient' this all was for Doto. But Lord Sousetsu-sama dismissed all of our concerns. He wouldn't hear a word against his brother without solid evidence. Forgiveness, trust and second chances were some of his most valued virtues."

"Yet he hired Konoha ANBU," Naruto reminded him. "He must have been aware of what was going on."

Sandayuu shrugged. "By the time of the coup, Doto had a firm hand on our military, making sure only the strongest were the most loyal to him personally, while the rest of us were considered worthless and insignificant. He grew to like a smaller, but elite group rather than sheer numbers." Sandayuu tightened his fists. "That's why me and my brethren must succeed! This coup was only carried out by Doto and his followers! The vast majority of citizens of the entire Snow Country… they're terrified! They've been trembling in fear for ten years! They want the lives they knew under Lord Sousetsu-sama back! And we're their last hope! We MUST succeed!"

"Why did you come to Konoha?" Sasuke asked from his position on the table. "Why didn't you tell the Hokage about all this?"

"I came for Kakashi. Him specifically," Sandayuu confessed. "He had been there during the coup, he understood exactly what had happened, and his reputation of being the copy-nin would have been a great asset to us! So when your Hokage was looking through the possible teams to assign to the mission and suggested Kakashi's team out loud, I told her I would just take Kakashi. She looked surprised and asked me why just one shinobi when the price I paid would cover me for the full team. I told her I feared mere genin would not be able to handle the mission. She looked at me in surprise, then laughed and began telling me about all the potential and promise that his three genin would offer, and she had faith that you three would perform better on this mission than even your sensei. In the end, I relented. I had the shinobi I came for. You three were just… er… bonus…" he finished lamely.

"Liar," Naruto declared. "You thought we would be completely useless simply because we were just _genin_," he drew the word out slowly.

"Blunt much?" Kaijo asked carefully.

"It's the truth, ain't it?" Sasuke countered, remembering Sandayuu's comments when they had captured those bodyguards in the town.

"But that still doesn't explain why you didn't tell Tsunade-sama the whole story," Sakura said, her hand still working.

"What could I say?" Sandayuu asked desperately. "Tell her that I need help to take back my country? Which meant taking on Doto, Yukigakure and the Daimyo's military forces? I would be literally asking for a war between the Fire Country and Snow Country. There was no way that your Hokage would have granted such a request, not to mention that your village is still suffering a manpower shortage. Even in the extremely unlikely chance she had agreed, Konoha wouldn't realistically be able to commit its forces to something this big."

Naruto slammed his fist on the table. "That may be so, but if you think for one second that Obaasan would've refused to give you any help, you are sadly mistaken. She probably would've sent not only Hatake, but several other highly skilled shinobi if you had just been flat out honest! And Hatake would probably still be alive!"

Koyuki raised her eyebrow, not having moved from her spot at the door. "So… Kakashi is dead, then? I was wondering why he wasn't here." She was silent for a moment, then asked, "How did it happen?"

"He wasn't able to escape from the iceberg in time…" Kaijo said softly. "It was collapsing and he was caught right in it… Naruto-kun's clones couldn't find any trace of him…"

At the statements, Sakura's eyes fell again. "It's all my fault…"

That immediately got a confused response. "Nani!?" everyone asked.

"I wasn't able to stop my opponent," she said. She sounded so hallow, so empty both boys could hardly believe it was the same person. She seemed completely out of it right then, save her hand was still moving over Sasuke's back. "Mizore… I think that was his name… had me completely at his mercy. If I could've stopped him… Naruto and Kakashi wouldn't have had to save me… and we could have defeated those Snow Shinobi instead of running… but… I was… _weak…_" She sounded so meek, so tired, so… defeated.

"Sakura…" Sasuke tried, not moving from his position.

"You guys… shouldn't have saved me…" she said in that same tone of voice, she sounded close to breaking out crying. "I'm the expandable one…I'm useless…"

"That's not true!" Naruto yelled at her. "Forget Hatake, who needs him!? Not me, that's for sure!" He put on a smile, yet everyone could see it was forced. "We never even liked him anyway! He was lazy, late, played favorites, and hardly taught us at all. He tied you to the stump, remember? We're better off without him!"

"Sakura," Sasuke said slowly. "If we hadn't gotten you out of there, you would be dead."

"Better me… than Kakashi…" she replied immediately, her eyes starting to water. "I'm the one that should be dead… At least he would…"

"Will you be quiet and stop talking that way!?" Naruto shouted. "It's not your fault! You aren't responsible! And we don't want you to die, so stop talking that way!"

"Sakura…" Sasuke said in a somewhat quieter voice. "I know how you feel. I lost my entire clan, remember? But crying and blaming yourself for something that isn't your fault is not going to help you. You want to be useful? You're already useful! Look at what you're doing!"

Sakura stopped for a moment, and looked at herself, specifically her hand and how it was still over Sasuke's back.

"Notice that no one else is helping him," Naruto said ("You _didn't_ have to put like that, Naruto," Sasuke complained). "And you can be so much more, too! Just apply yourself. That's all you need to do. Instead of wasting your time feeling sorry for yourself, do something constructive! Better yourself and stop playing the pity game!"

"Survivor's guilt is hard to deal with," Makino offered. "Many die that deserve life, and many live that deserve death. Can you give it to them? Do not be so eager to seek death and judgment, especially on yourself for something that isn't your fault. You're still alive; don't be so eager to wish for you own death. All you can do now is decide what to do with the time you are given."

Sakura looked at everyone, then slowly nodded her head as she wiped her eyes dry. "Thank you…" She looked back down and continued working on Sasuke's back. "I still can't believe… that Kakashi-sensei is gone… it's hard to believe that someone like him would die like that…"

Sasuke was silent at that. "It _is_ hard to believe." The group looked at him. "Why didn't he retreat? How could someone like him not get out in time?"

"What are you getting at, Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know," Sasuke retorted. "It just doesn't make sense how this could happen. He should have been able to get out in time."

"Why didn't he, then?" Makino asked him.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Sasuke repeated loudly, straightening himself up from the table and causing Sakura to stumble back. "Maybe the Yuki-nin used some sort of genjutsu, or snuck up on him, or cut him off somehow, I don't know! I just know that it's suspicious!"

"Makes sense," Naruto conceded. "But those Yuki-nin bastards are the only possible explanation as to what happened to Hatake. It's not like Hatake slipped on some ice while withdrawing. I bet it was that first one, the one who identified himself as Rouga Nadare. He caught Hatake off guard with some sort of jutsu," Naruto slammed a fist into his hand. "I'll personally ask him how he did it, then I'll rip his head off!"

There was a moment of silence in the room. "There is… one other possible explanation…" Sakura announced softly. Everyone looked at her, with Naruto and Sasuke realizing what she was about to say. "Sakura…" Sasuke started.

"There's no point in keeping it a secret now," Sakura told the boys. When neither boy offered a protest, she looked at the rest of the group. "We have reason to believe that there's a… stowaway on this ship."

Makino, Kaijo and even Koyuki looked at the Konoha kunoichi in surprise. "What do you mean?" The director asked carefully.

"Kakashi found a man unconscious in the hallway," Sasuke spoke up. "We believe that the cause of this was made by an intruder on this ship. His… or maybe even her… intentions are unknown at this time."

At the statement, Kaijo breathed out a sigh of relief. Wait… WHAT?! The shinobi looked at him, not understanding. "If you're talking about Han, he just collapsed due too much stress. Your sensei said as much himself. It wasn't the work of an intruder."

"That was a cover story," Naruto told him. "The body had been drained of blood. Something like that wouldn't happen from just stress."

Kaijo paled at the statement and seemed to lose his voice. Makino actually looked interested in this new revelation, while Koyuki quickly shook off the shock on her face. Kaijo then looked at the others, as if wanting someone… anyone… to deny that last statement. Sandayuu cleared his throat, but did not meet the other man's eyes. "It's true, Kaijo-san. Kakashi brought the man to me and explained everything."

"Why didn't any of you say anything!?" Kaijo screamed, grabbing his hat with a panicked look on his face.

"That's why," Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke said at once. Sakura added, "We didn't want to cause a needless panic, since there's still so much we don't understand: who is it? Why are they here? How are they able to draw the blood without leaving a mark behind? We've been looking…" _Kinda,_ she added to herself. "But we're no closer to finding this person than we were when we first learned of him."

"It is troublesome," Sandayuu admitted. "But I don't believe that this intruder is the cause of your sensei's death."

"Why's that?" Sasuke asked. "It seems as likely as anything."

"Oh, I agree," Sandayuu said. "But we must also remember the circumstances that led to Hatake's death. He was unable to escape. What that reason is, we don't know, but if the intruder was the cause of it, he or she would have been on this ship at the time and no one on the ship even realized or noticed anything strange until after it happened. And if it was a jutsu that hindered Kakashi, one of you would have noticed if it came from someone on the ship. Since none of you have, that leaves the logical conclusion that it was one of the Yuki-nin that was the cause of it."

Koyuki looked at the three genin as they considered the possibility, then all three of them nodded in agreement. Apparently, Sandayuu had gained some influence over these children as well. Given what his job was, she guessed it was only logical… not that she cared.

"Gomen," Sakura said. "I just…"

"You have nothing to apologize for, young lady," Sandayuu assured her. "You were merely considering all the possibilities, as a shinobi like yourself should. Plus, you alerted the rest of us to the presence of the intruder, a very smart move on your part. You did nothing wrong."

Sakura give a small smile and felt reassured. "Thank you." She looked at Sasuke's back. "I need to go get something to wrap his back."

Sasuke bent down and undid one of the bandages on his legs. "Use this," he said, handing it to her. "I have more in my room." She accepted them with a nod, then gestured him to turn around. He did so without so much as a grunt as Sakura began working. He could feel her soft and gentle hands against his skin as she began wrapping the bandages. Sasuke instantly realized what he had just thought, and immediately shook his head as if that would clear it. WHERE THE HELL HAD _THAT_ THOUGHT COME FROM!?!

Silence reigned once again in the room. No one knew what to say now. During that time, Sakura finished bandaging Sasuke's back, who offered a quiet 'Thank you' to her as he put his shirt back on. The one to finally act was Sandayuu, who walked over and got on his hands and knees at Koyuki's feet. "Please Princess, I beg you: confront Doto and assume your place as the rightful leader of our land!" He bowed lower, his head now touching the ground. "I will gladly sacrifice my life if that is what is needed. I beg you! Take up arms and lead your people!"

The others in the room looked at Koyuki and awaited her answer.

"No way in hell."

Sandayuu looked up at her in pure disbelief. "But… but what about your _people!?" _he asked desperately.

"I could care less about them. They're not my problem."

"But Princess…" Sandayuu tried again, but Koyuki cut him off. "Will you give it up already, you idiot!? It doesn't matter what you do, you will _never_ get rid of Doto-ojiki, OK?! GIVE IT UP!"

Sandayuu looked like he was about he cry. Naruto stood up and pointed right at the bitch. "And here I thought you would actually be considerate and understanding! Damn, was I wrong! So you're going to do absolutely nothing!? After hearing all of what your country has suffered through and what Sandayuu has done, even with all the odds against him, and you flat out don't care!?"

"Naruto-kun…" Sandayuu said gratefully.

"Have you been listening!?" Koyuki shot back. "Do you three even realize the extent of what Sandayuu is proposing to do!? He wants to fight back against an entire _country!_ That includes an entire village of trained shinobi! You're only three! If you three are stupid enough to actually continue on this mission, you're all going to end up dead just like Kakashi!"

Her words seem to hit the three Konoha nin hard, because not even Naruto responded. They slowly looked at each other, as if hoping one of them knew what they were supposed to do now.

"Princess…" Sandayuu started, but Makino interrupted. "Stop, Sandayuu. She is right about this. If they decide to go on, they'll be facing an entire country, not merely just a few opponents. It won't be that simple." He looked directly at the trio. "Listen up you three: it's up to you now. With Kakashi gone and Sandayuu's own men not adequate enough, you three are now the strongest people we have on this ship.

"You've heard the details of this mission now and what Sandayuu said about the situation in the Snow Country. In addition, you've all fought against three Yuki-nin already. Just three, and it's highly likely you'll meet _many_ more Yuki-nin than those ones, most likely ones just as strong as those three, if not more. And you'll be the only ones that can stand against them, the rest of us stand no chance. And that's not counting Doto's personal military forces, as well as Doto himself and who knows what else Doto has at his disposal. _And_ there's still the threat of this intruder.

"These are all the facts," Makino continued, right now looking at each of them in turn. "This mission already cost you your sensei. It could very well mean the deaths of each of you." He paused for a moment, allowing that statement to linger in the air. "Now… choose. Do you continue or do you go home? That's what it boils down to. Make your decision now." He sat down and set a glare at the other non-shinobi, making it clear that they were not to say anything.

The room was silent as the three genin looked at each other, once again confused and not sure how to respond. Everyone could see this information was sinking into their minds and weighing heavily on them. Each one was now lost in their own individual thoughts. No one said a word. For five minutes, it was completely silent as everyone waited for a response, any response, from one of the three genin.

"I'm going to see this mission through."

Everyone looked at the person who had just spoken. It was Sakura. She took a deep breath. "I'm the weakest of us… there's no denying that. I would love to just take off and run. You have no idea how strong that desire is to me right now. I mean, I couldn't even hold my own against Mizore, like the others could. But if I run now… I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Not with all that I just heard. I'm going to help in whatever way I can." She gulped as she added, "And if I… if I… if I die in the process… at least I'll know I gave it my all."

"I'm staying as well," Naruto declared. He glared at Koyuki. "If you're not going to do anything to help your own people, then you don't deserve to lead them anyway, much less have the complete loyalty of someone like Sandayuu." He looked back at the group. "I accepted this mission at the start, and I'm not going to break my word by abandoning it now. And I'm not going to be like a certain heartless bitch who cares nothing about her duty or those counting on her. You say that there's an entire village of shinobi that'll come after us? Bring them on! With me, my numbers can go from one to a thousand! I'll beat them all down myself!"

Everyone looked at Sasuke now. "Count me in," he said. "Even if I left to go back to Konoha, I have no one to go back to. No family or friends waiting. And the village doesn't trust me right now either." He looked at Naruto and Sakura. "Those that are _closest_ to me are in this room right now. And I'm going to stand with them." He looked specifically at Sakura now. "And I swear to you on my own life that you won't die. Oh… and you too as well, dobe, I guess."

Naruto actually smirked in response while giving Sasuke a 'friendly' middle finger, while Sakura gave him a small, thankful smile.

"You three…" Koyuki growled, "…are completely insane! You don't realize what you're getting into!"

"Of course we do," all three of them answered instantly.

"Why don't you at least call for backup from your village?!" Koyuki pressed

"I'll send a message to Obaasan, explaining all the details," Naruto answered. "But odds are, by the time any reinforcements do get here… it'll be all over one way or another. We'll just have to handle it ourselves."

"How do you plan to handle all those ninja by yourselves?! Especially those three you fought!?"

"We arrive at the Snow Country tomorrow morning," Sakura told her. "That gives us one day to prepare for them. That'll have to be enough."

"And how do you realistically plan to overthrow Doto-ojiki!? You can't fight an entire country yourselves!"

"We'll assassinate him. Quietly," Sasuke answered matter-of-factly. "That's what I believe Kakashi would have done if he were in our position. Once he's dead, the rest will be easier."

"Why do you even fucking care?" Naruto asked.

"Because if you three are going, that means I'll be dragged along as well and I have absolutely no desire to go back!"

"Then shut the hell up and stay out of the way," Naruto told her. He then looked at Makino and Kaijo. "What about you guys? This isn't a movie anymore."

"You're absolutely right… it's MUCH MORE NOW!" Makino declared. He stood up and pointed dramatically. "As long as there is hope, one may dream. And with those dreams, the future comes. I LIKE IT! It's the perfect theme for our new Princess Gale movie! Action! Drama! Maybe even a hint of romance! With a touch of tragedy! True friendships withstand all the horrors and dangers that the enemy can throw at them! And the best part of it all… it'll be REAL! Not special effects! And in honor of the loss of that brave Konoha Jounin, we'll dedicate this movie to him! He died believing in what he did, that this mission and movie were worth something! And we'll donate all the proceeds to his wife and kids!"

"Hatake doesn't have any…" Naruto trailed off as he looked at the other two. "Does he?"

"Of course he doesn't… I think…," Sasuke said uncertainly. "He's just… um… well… he's late… and… uh… he reads those books… and… he's a jounin…" What _did_ they know about the man's personal life anyway? It had always been about them. Never once had they asked about Kakashi's personal life. The two boys looked at Sakura questioningly. "Does he?" they both asked.

"How would I know?" Sakura asked helplessly.

Predictably, Kaijo gasped in disbelief at Makino's statement, ignoring the trio's conversation. "But… Makino-san. You're not really going to continue filming with everything you're heard, are you?"

"I told you the movie is evolving…"

"You never said that…" Kaijo protested weakly.

"Shut up. Just think about it: how often do you get the chance to make a movie with a real princess? We're looking at the opportunity of a lifetime."

Naruto smiled to himself. _Like that would change Kaijo's mind._

"You're right!" Kaijo admitted happily.

What the fuck!?

"Think of the buzz…" Kaijo said, now getting a look that Makino had worn so often. The look that said: I'm-going-to-do-this-and-I-don't-care-what-you-think. "Even the making of the movie will be a hit! We're sitting on a surefire blockbuster!" Naruto smiled to himself again, despite the circumstances. Apparently, even a worrier like Kaijo had his moments where he would do the unthinkable for a movie.

"Well, I'm not going!" Koyuki yelled.

"You can't run," Naruto told her firmly. "Now that Doto's men have found you, they'll be on your trail, so running isn't an option. Even if you don't want to face him, he wants you for some reason. That's clear from the Yuki-nin's intentions at the iceberg. We – and that includes you, bitch – have to fight. That's your only chance for survival."

Koyuki took an involuntary step back at Naruto's proclamation. "Real life isn't like the movies. There is no such thing as a happy ending in this world!"

"Of course there is if you're willing to fight for it!" Makino shouted at her.

Sandayuu finally spoke again. Once again, he looked on the verge of tears, but this time they were tears of joy. "Everyone… thank you all!"

"So that's it, then. We're going ahead with this picture!" Makino declared.

"And you can bet this one will have a happy ending!" Kaijo added, just as enthusiastically as his boss.

"Damn straight!" Naruto and Sakura cheered, while Sasuke just muttered "Whatever..."

**

* * *

8:00 am**

**Naruto**

The meeting had ended with a surprising note from Makino. There was to be no filming today for the movie and everyone was just supposed to take the day off. Everyone in the room, especially Kaijo, was in complete shock over what Makino had said. Naruto wondered what the man was actually thinking in that mind of his. When questioned, Makino merely said that even he knew when it was time to make movies and time to respect the fallen and prepare for what was to come. With that, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke merely nodded in response and left the room.

Still… they were going to keep an eye out just in case Makino came around with cameras and filmed them by _accident. _He was Makino after all.

The three had gone back to their rooms to freshen up for the day: taking a shower, getting a decent meal, dressing the other wounds and injuries they each had, etc. They – like everyone else on the ship – also began changing out of their winter clothes. No one had expected to be wearing those clothes until they arrived at the Snow Country, after all. Besides, the day was turning out to be very nice now. The sun was bright and its warmth was felt by all with a nice gentle breeze brushing against everyone as an added touch. It was like the weather itself was trying to lift their dark and depressed moods over the loss of Kakashi.

Naruto was walking around the ship, trying to shift through the constant new thoughts and feelings he was now feeling. He found himself quite snappy, willing to yell at anyone and everyone for even just looking at him. He leaned against a wall and put a hand against his forehead while grumbling under his breath.

Kakashi was dead. That was the one thought that his mind was focusing on. He wasn't able to think on anything else. Even when eating his ramen, it didn't taste right, so he only had three bowls. So he began walking around absentmindedly, eventually coming to the front of the ship.

"Kuso," he hissed under his breath, kicking some crate that was near him. He watched it soar through the air and drop into the ocean. He briefly wondered what had been inside. Probably more cameras for filming or something like that. Why did Kakashi have to go and get killed like that!? He shook his head once more, then bit his thumb. Oh, screw it! He had more important things to do than just mope around. He ran through the seals and muttered, "Well… let's see if this works. Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

There was large burst of smoke and once it vanished, two frogs now stood in front of the blond shinobi, both of whom Naruto was familiar with. "Yo, Gamayoyaku. Gamakichi, it's been a while." So, he was able to summon more than one frog at a time, it just took more chakra, plus careful adjustments. That was nice to know.

"What do you want?" the smaller frog asked him as he looked around. "Where the hell are we anyway?" Gamayoyaku simply croaked as a greeting.

"You're both on a ship heading for the Snow Country," he told them both as he reached for his pouch, taking out a scroll and a pen. "There's a little something I need you two to do for me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Gamakichi replied immediately, crossing his arms in front of him. "Not that easy! Give me a snack, then we'll talk and _maybe_ I'll consider doing something." Gamayoyaku simply shook his head at the younger frog, as if expecting something like this to happen. Naruto simply groaned and tried to fight off a migraine. He then crossed his fingers and created a Kage Bunshin. "You go to the mess hall and get some snacks for those two. And make it quick."

"Sheesh, too lazy to do it yourself, knucklehead?" the clone asked him. "Who do you think I am, your personal slave?"

"Just shut up and get going!" the original roared. Was a little cooperation really that hard to get around here!? The clone hmphed at him, then began walking away. Naruto then sat on the deck Indian-style and looked at the two frogs as he began writing. "Gamayoyaku, I'm going to need your help for some training. Gamakichi, I'm going to need you to deliver a message to Konoha. Things have gotten… complicated around here."

He now had the two frogs' complete attention as he began explaining the situation to them as well as writing on his scroll.

**

* * *

Sasuke**

Sasuke was currently lying in on his bed in his room, lost in his own thoughts over what had happened in the meeting. While many things were swarming through his mind, Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto, Koyuki, Doto, this mission, there was one thing that he was currently lost in thought about.

"_Those that are _closest_ to me are in this room right now. And I'm going to stand with them." He looked specifically at Sakura now. "And I swear to you on my own life that you won't die."_

Could he really have said that? More importantly, did he really mean it? ALL of it? What caused him to say those words anyway? He grunted as he rolled over, trying to get comfortable. Well… the first part seemed obvious; they were his teammates after all. He had spent more time with them than any others in Konoha for that reason alone. Yet one thing bugged him.

When did this closeness start?

He grunted again as he put his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling. He let his mind explore his memory, wondering if the damned answer was buried in there somewhere.

He could remember the time in the Wave country, how he was able to catch on to Naruto's plan without so much as a word to free Kakashi from the Suirou no Jutsu; how Naruto had dominated the tree climbing exercise and Kakashi ordered him to watch Tazuna, leaving him and Sakura alone. He could remember his frustration as he struggled behind both of them, eventually asking Sakura for help. Then, of course, there was the rematch with Zabuza and Haku when he regained consciousness and saw that Sakura had been covered in senbon just as much as he had been. Was it then?

Or had it been during the Chuunin Exams? Such as when Naruto boasted to the _entire_ group of candidates that he wouldn't lose to those temes, or how he yelled that he didn't care what kind of question the tenth one was at the end of the exam and that he would become Hokage anyway? Maybe it was during the second exam, the Forest of Death? Such as when Naruto hit him when he considered surrendering the scroll to the disguised Orochimaru, then fought the said enemy himself? Or how Sakura hugged him from behind when he and Naruto went on a rampage against the Sound genin, pleading for them to stop? That same pink-haired kunoichi who fought with Kabuto when he arrived near them and ended up taking his scroll? Or was it even in the preliminaries, when Sakura had fought against Kankuro, and Naruto fought against Kiba?

Could it have been during the invasion by Suna and Oto? Or even after? When at Ichiraku when she announced that he was her best friend, then later he had let Sakura test her first genjutsu on him? Or possibly when he and Naruto first fought on the mission he himself arranged? Or maybe even their fight at the Valley of the End?

Damn it! When was it!? When did he start feeling a real attachment to the two of them!? At what point in his life did they become close to him!? The Academy!? The Wave Country!? The Chuunin Exams!? After the invasion!? WHEN!? And just how BIG was that attachment!?

Unable to come up with an answer, he began swearing out loud as he thought about the _other _part of his proclamation. Did he really care about the two of them so much that he would be willing to throw his life away for them? At that thought, he tried to clear his head by shaking it. That's not what he said. He had told _Sakura_ specifically. While he had added Naruto as an afterthought, that statement had been directed at Sakura foremost. Did he really feel that close to her, where he would die for her if it came to that?

That's when he noticed that his left hand was rubbing his cheek. Again. He stopped in mid-rub and looked at his hand as if it was his most hated enemy. Now muttering incoherent curses under his breath, he slammed his hand against the nearby dresser, completely decimating an entire section of it. Damn it! If he really was getting closer to her, then why did he still have this damn urge!? And she STILL hadn't used his name yet! Was he getting fucking close to her, or just getting further apart!? WHICH WAS IT!?

What about Naruto?! He asked himself desperately, trying to get his mind off Sakura for now before his head exploded. Would he be willing to die for Naruto as well as Sakura?! Wait a second! He still wasn't sure if he was willing to do it for Sakura! He couldn't compare the two when he didn't know if he would even do it for Sakura! And why was it that whenever he tried to think about something other than Sakura, his thoughts always led him back to her!? Damn it, what was WRONG WITH HIM!?

Growling now, he laid back down. Facing Orochimaru, or Itachi, or even both at once would be easier than trying to sort out his feelings! Less painful too!

That's when he noticed his hand was right back at his cheek.

**

* * *

Sakura**

"_**KUUUUUSSSSSSSSOOOOOO!!!!**_"

The sound of Sasuke swearing was heard quite clearly through the entire ship, and the back of the ship where Sakura was currently was no exception. She was glad to be out of those extra winter clothes for now. Sure, they had been warm and even comfortable, but it was nothing like the sun itself shining down on you and warming you up.

She had gone here as soon as she finished all the necessities and immediately began working again on the same thing she had been this morning. She had made a little progress, but nothing big. Not that that was any surprise seeing how she just started. But she needed to finish it _today._ There was no other time she would have to work on it if she wanted it to be ready in time.

Then she had been interrupted by _his_ loud scream. What it was about, she had no idea. A small part of her wanted to go and check up on him. But as immediately as that thought came, she quickly dismissed it. She still wasn't ready yet. She still didn't know…

She took a deep breath and banished the thoughts from her mind. She didn't need to be distracted now. She needed to work! She was already having enough trouble focusing because of all she had learned in that meeting.

Fact was… even though Naruto, _him_, and even the director had tried to tell her it wasn't her fault that Kakashi had died, she still felt some degree of responsibility towards it.

Plus, the fact that she was weak didn't help matters either. She knew that they had tried to convince her otherwise, but she knew the truth. She was the weakest and the furthest behind, but her fight… did it even deserve to be called a fight? She wondered. She got beaten down so easily.

"No, no, no, no," She reprimanded to herself, smacking her forehead a bit. No more of that 'self-pity talk'. That wouldn't get her anywhere. Like Naruto had said, 'do something constructive.' She had to stay fixed on her goal, or she would never get anywhere! She may have been beaten that time, but it wasn't going to happen again! The next time she saw Mizore, _she _would be the one victorious!

Now she just needed to be able to make good on that promise.

Taking a drink from her canteen, she went back to work. If she finished in time, she would have a new weapon to use. Something that would be able to help her immensely, or so she hoped. Part of her wondered if she should even bother, since the only thing that seemed to work on the Yuki-nin and their chakra armor was taijutsu, and logically, she should be trying to perfect that.

As she thought about it, she shook her head. No, she needed to think like a shinobi. Yes, taijutsu was apparently the only thing that worked, but she couldn't just rely on just taijutsu. She needed a trump card, something that would help her against them, even if not directly.

At first, she thought that her jutsu, the Daichi Kobura, would be that trump card. But then she realized just how demanding it was on her small chakra reserves; it was more of a burden. After all, she couldn't use it the way it was meant to be used. All she could do was form it and use it in the simplest manner possible. She kept remembering the definition in that ninjutsu scroll, what it said it could do, and all the possibilities one could do with it, and how she was not able to do all of that. She briefly wondered why she even bothered to try and learn that jutsu.

No… she knew why. It was because she wanted to show off. That was the honest truth. The other three members of her team all had such impressive ninjutsu that they either created themselves or learned from another source. What did she have at the time? The basics and two genjutsu. She wanted to have just _one_ ninjutsu that could be seen by everyone as on par with the level and difficulty her teammates had. So she gave in to her pride and tried to learn something she wasn't ready for. And now that jutsu was more of a hindrance to her than an asset.

Which is why she needed something new, and she needed it now! Mizore wouldn't know what hit him this time!

With that thought, she went back to work, redoubling her efforts.

**

* * *

9:00 am**

**Bakeru**

He strolled around the ship, learning each of the shinobi's positions. Uzumaki was at the front of the ship talking with a frog summon; Haruno was at the rear of the ship working on something that really didn't interest him; and Uchiha himself was in his room. Judging from his earlier scream, apparently having a temper tantrum.

Now was the time to strike and begin his mission. But there was just one small question to resolve.

Which one first?

* * *

(**Author's Note**). Whew… that was long. Believe it or not, I actually didn't get as far as I wanted story-wise, but this chapter was getting so long I decided I had to stop somewhere. I never thought that the 'revelation' scene at the beginning of the chapter would take up as much room as it did. I thought it would only be about four pages, even with all the expanding I did on the background, yet it came out to over 11 pages… nearly _THREE TIMES_ the amount I thought. I wanted to get to Bakeru's part finally, but alas, it'll have to wait until next chapter. 

Speaking of that scene, it should give you all some idea of how the story revolving around how Doto came to power, the status of Yukigakure past and present and what challenges await Team 7 have been expanded and enhanced to in this story. Why? Because I want to. Simple as that.

Also, thanks to Tellemicus yet again. He offered several ideas and possibilities for this chapter, most notably Sakura knowing and using the Faiatama. Thank you, my friend.

Aisuminasen – Forgive me (very formal)

Hosakan - aide

Tanomoshii - reliable; trustworthy; hopeful; promising;

Mikata - friend; ally; supporter;

Saati - 30

Koukennin - Guardian

Ojiki - uncle (younger than one's parent)

**Doton: Daichi Kobura no Jutsu **(updated)--_Earth Release: Ground Cobra_//A jutsu similar to that of the Suiryuudan. How it differs is the fact that the user has far more control over the actions of the Daichi Kobura, than one does with Suiryuudan. Thus, one is able to move the Daichi Kobura in any direction, movement, patterns the user desires, such as having it constrict an obstacle or opponent. The user could even pour more chakra into the jutsu to 'harden' and improve its endurance. This, however, means that in order for the Daichi Kobura to do all this, the user _must_ constantly supply it with chakra, in addition to the amount used to create it in the first place. Because of this, plus the focus required, this means that the user has to remain stationary and focused, leaving the user quite vulnerable. For if the user moves and/or loses concentration, the jutsu will break apart. One could potentially keep the Daichi Kobura going for long periods of time... _if _they have the chakra reserves to maintain it. (Mid B-Class Ninjutsu) (Sakura)

Side note: those astute readers among you may have noticed that the first definition concerning the Daichi Kobura in Chapter 5 really didn't explain what it could do, merely how Sakura learned it. That was deliberate on my part. It was my attempt to show how Sakura was able to use the 'rough' version and not the completed version. I meant to give the actual definition (the one above) earlier than this, but the timing never felt right to me. So, yeah, this was deliberate on my part and not just 'changing it' on a whim. Good idea? Maybe. Maybe not. But it was my reasoning. Tellemicus himself pointed out as much in our discussions and I gave him the updated definition for Chuuten's third chapter.

**Chakra Armor vs. the Oboro no Jutsu **(yes, I should have put this in the _last_ chapter, but I kinda forgot to do so… heh heh. I'm only human). Due to the Oboro's denseness, the only time that it will be affected by the anti-chakra barrier is through direct contact, even though it has been shown that the barrier can distort jutsu from a short distance in front of the wearer. When Naruto comes into direct contact, the anti-chakra is able to use that contact as a conduit, allowing it to spread throughout the entire jutsu, similar to how blood spreads in a source of water. Once a significant portion of the anti-chakra was affected the entire Oboro, it will shatter and break apart, and while Naruto is still in direct contact, the anti-chakra will remain in place, thus preventing Naruto from activating it again.

To Zoneshifter D: your point was valid and Tellemicus had similar thoughts to the Oboro as you did. After discussing it between ourselves, Tellemicus agreed to the Oboro failing, though he also advised that I put the said explanation to justify it. I hope it satisfies you.

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him._


	10. Two Narutos

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 10-Two Narutos _

**9:00 am **

**Naruto **

He watched Gamayoyaku disappear in a puff of smoke, leaving the number one unpredictable ninja alone. Gamakichi was long gone by now, having left only ten minutes after Naruto had summoned him. Once Naruto had told Gamakichi that Kakashi was dead, the frog shut up immediately. Apparently, Kakashi's reputation was known even among the summons. He briefly wondered if Kakashi even _had _a summon of his own. He had never summoned in Naruto's presence before.

The young frog had told Naruto it would take him a full day to get to Konoha if he moved nonstop, but there was still the time factor for any reinforcements to come from Konoha to Snow. At best, it would take them the same amount of time as it did Team 7.

Two and a half days, plus the day it would take Gamakichi to actually get to Konoha for a total of three and a half days. Eighty four hours.

Too long.

They had to act as fast as they could, or the enemy would come at them first. They needed speed and time on their side if this mission was going to have any chance of success. They needed to strike first. He sighed out loud as he repeated all of Gamayoyaku's explanation on the Gama Suraimu in his mind. Of course, during that time, Sandayuu had come up and started to ask him something, and Naruto literally scared him off before he could ask whatever he was going to ask. Yes, he respected the man and was supportive of what he was trying to do, but that did _not_ mean he was going to let anyone see him work on his jutsu! Sandayuu was no exception!

He frowned as he decided to walk it off a bit. He then remembered something. He considered his options, then reached a decision, which resulted in a small smile on his face.

Before he did anything else, he needed to go and resolve that little situation.

* * *

**Sakura**

She grumbled under her breath as she took out the item again and whipped it around, trying to get a feel for it. This was turning out to be quite a bit more difficult than she had originally thought it would be. Not that that was any surprise, to be honest, especially since she hadn't tried anything like this before. Still, that wasn't going to stop her. She _would_ have this done by the end of today. She couldn't allow herself to think otherwise.

After all, failure was a high possibility. Even so, she could not allow her mind to drag on.

She took a couple of deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. She was about to start again when she heard someone say "Is this a bad time?" Pausing, she turned around and looked at the source.

Naruto.

"Kinda," she admitted. What could he possibly want? "What is it? Make it quick."

Naruto looked slightly uncomfortable. His stance was not the typical straight-up, firm, and confident one he was so known for. Even his mask seemed to slip a little, as he looked like he himself was confused as to why he was here. His eye kept darting from side to side, not willing to focus on anything. Finally, he looked in her direction and started speaking. "Well… you see… I came to… why do you have that ribbon with you?" he said, suddenly shifting gears, then getting a look like he wanted to kick himself.

Sakura looked at the item in her hand: the ribbon that he had just pointed out. "I was practicing with it," she told him, more harshly than she meant. "I did some of that ribbon dance yesterday and I found it _fun_, ok? That such a crime?" It was the truth… sort of… just not the _whole_ truth.

"No, not really," Naruto fumbled, his eye just glancing around again. "If that's what you want to do…" He shook his head and took a deep breath. "Look… what I wanted to talk to you about… it concerns the Doryuuheki and…"

"I told you: I don't want to learn it!" Sakura protested immediately. Of all things he could mention, why did he have to mention that!? Couldn't he tell that she was doing her best to NOT repeat past mistakes!?

"No! That's not what I meant!" Naruto said in a desperate rush, waving his hands. "I was just going to say that if you wanted to learn it, I'd be willing to teach it to you!"

Silence.

Sakura felt as if someone had just dunked her head in ice cold water. Naruto just said WHAT!?!? He was offering to teach her one of his jutsu!? He must be sick! _Deathly _sick! There was no way that Naruto would ever be willing to teach someone else! Not the Naruto she knew! Not the stuck-up, arrogant, secret-keeping, hyperactive blond ninja who was so overprotective of his jutsu that he threaten to disembowel any person that even _looked_ at his precious scrolls. "What kind of game are you playing at?" Sakura asked softly. "Is this some kind of – "

"It's nothing like that," Naruto interrupted as he looked even more uncomfortable then he did before. He took a deep breath. "You see… I didn't create that jutsu."

She raised an eyebrow at him. That made a difference to him? She thought such things didn't matter to Naruto, the fact that it was a jutsu he used as reason enough to claim that it was his and his alone.

"You see," the one-eyed shinobi continued. "Remember the time I was out of Konoha for a while?" Once she gave her nod, he continued. "I was traveling with the biggest, ill-moraled, lazy-ass, man-whore mega-pervert who… DON'T GIVE ME THAT LOOK!!" he shouted when he noticed Sakura's disapproving look concerning the kind of company he spent time with, and his face turned a brilliant shade of red as a result. "It wasn't my fault that he took me out of Konoha against my will! I was unconscious at the time anyway, since I had saved everyone's asses from Gaara, and the next thing I knew I was in some hotel room with the pervert! Ok… so his promise of teaching jutsu may have had something to do with it afterwards, BUT…"

Sakura cut him off; otherwise she was sure he would be ranting about this mysterious companion of his for who knew how long. She rarely saw him go to such lengths. The only times she could think of that were even close to him doing something like this were when Neji had nearly killed Hinata in the preliminaries, his reaction to seeing Sasuke using his Oboro then turning all his rage and anger on Kakashi, and even how he and Sasuke had argued in the hospital after the Uchiha came 'back.' But even with those encounters, he would simply shout loudly for a few seconds before either threatening and/or actually attacking the person in question. "Who is this person?"

His eye narrowed at that. "The said man is not worth mentioning, but what _is_ important is the fact that _he_ was the one who taught me the Doryuuheki, and…" that uncomfortable look he had earlier was back in full swing. "And… since it was taught to me instead of me creating it… and since it's not such an uncommon jutsu… plus the fact that it would benefit you… I'd be willing to teach it to you…"

Sakura wasn't entirely sure what to make of this new development. Part of her was wondering if this was all some kind of joke or trick. He certainly sounded sincere, and with those awkward gestures of his, it looked like he was uncomfortable with this somehow. Like he was embarrassed by admitting that he learned this jutsu from someone as opposed to creating it himself. Was that enough to break Naruto out of his way of thinking, that all his jutsu were his and his alone and no one was allowed to look at them, much less learn them? What could have happened to him that made him take such a complete change in attitude like this?

Well… whatever it was, Sakura couldn't help but feel intrigued with the offer. She just hoped this wouldn't come back to bite her in the rear afterwards.

"Well?" the boy pressed. "Do you want to learn?"

If Sakura had been thinking clearly, she would have just said no. Not because she didn't want to learn, but simply because she was already straining to try and finish what she had previously been working on and didn't have the time to try and master both of them. The smart decision would have been to tell Naruto 'no' and for them to try another time.

But she didn't tell him that. Remembering what she had seen of the Doryuuheki and how much awe she had been in was enough to make her rational mind forget that she was on a time limit.

So she smiled at her blond-haired teammate. "Do I have to call you sensei, then?"

The word instantly changed the atmosphere around the two. "Gomen," Sakura said quietly.

"It doesn't matter," Naruto replied immediately. Sakura saw his stance shift and his mask firmly back in place now, like he was trying to erase every bit of emotion within him, external or otherwise. "Shinobi die all the time on missions. It was just Hatake's time, that's all," he said. Even his voice sounded flat and monotone, like he was forcing himself to talk that way. "It doesn't bother me a bit that he was killed." He paused, then added "Except I won't get the chance to thoroughly kick his ass now."

"Naruto," Sakura said firmly, but he gave her a small cold shoulder look. She knew him fairly well at this point, but even if she didn't she could tell that Naruto was deliberately trying to act calm, impassive, and closed off, as opposed to him just naturally doing it. She wondered if the loss of Kakashi was affecting him more than even herself or their other teammate and he was simply trying to hide that fact.

Men… why did they always have this idea that showing their emotional side was a sign of weakness? Where did they get the idea that a man 'should not cry' or 'must be strong' or 'can't look bad in front of others'? Where did this macho attitude of theirs begin and why did they cling to those beliefs like it was a matter of life or death? Was it all simply a matter of pride to them?

Thank Kami she was female.

"Look, Naruto," she started again, this time not stopping. "Not all of us hated Kakashi-sensei, alright? Lie to yourself if you want, but not around me. You'll find girls don't like that type of attitude." She then straightened up and felt she better change topics now, or risk another outburst of his temper. "So… if you're still serious about teaching me… shall we get started?"

Naruto stopped with that cold shoulder look, before nodding in agreement. He then ran through the seals again. "Let's start with something simple," Naruto told her, right before his cheeks bulged and he spat out a new amount of mud on the ground. She watched him reach down and grab a fistful of dirt and brought up his hand, the dirt clinging to his palm. "You have to use your chakra and be able to let the dirt cling to your palm like this."

Sakura watched attentively and nodded. She then bent down and grabbed her own dirt, while Naruto continued talking. "It may take you a couple of tries to – "

"Like this?" Sakura interrupted, standing up and showing her hand, the dirt clinging to her palm effortlessly.

The look Naruto gave her was not one she expected. It showed a mixture of surprise, annoyance, and above all else, envy. He quickly turned around, putting his back to her. "Well, of course it's easy, didn't I say it was a simple exercise? I just wanted to make sure you were good with earth, but I guess that's a given from your Doton earlier. But don't let this fool you, the next step is much_, much, MUCH _harder." He said all that in a very fast voice.

"Isn't that just coughing up dirt?" Sakura asked, confused. What was his problem?

* * *

**Sasuke**

**Same time **

Somehow… someway… Sasuke had managed to prevent himself from completely demolishing his entire cabin. That damn urge of his was starting to feel stronger than ever and the utter need to cause complete and absolute destruction was VERY appealing to him. With that urge still burning in him greatly, he had taken it upon himself to walk in circles as he swore and ranted about whatever he thought about.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He stopped and looked at the door. "What do you want?" he demanded, making no move to open the door, let alone see who was being courageous – or stupid – enough to come and irritate him.

The door swung open with a sufficient degree of force and Naruto entered the room. "Hey. I need to talk to you."

_That has to be a first,_ Sasuke thought to himself. What did he want now? There was some small hope in the back of his mind that maybe… just maybe… he was here for some beneficial purpose. Like maybe knowing what was wrong with the Kisou Karyuu. Or would it be too much to hope that he was here so Sasuke could pound on him?

"I want to talk to you about those strange jutsu those Yuki-temes used," Naruto said, casually plopping himself down on Sasuke's bed, then placing his feet right where his pillow was, while putting his arms behind his head.

"You mind not putting your feet there?" Sasuke inquired. "That's where my head rests and I'd rather not have lingering odor of dope in my face."

"I said: do you know anything about those strange jutsu those Yuki-temes used, dumbass?" Naruto replied, readjusting his position to get himself comfortable. "With listening skills like yours, no wonder Sakura-chan is pissed off at you or why you have so much fucking trouble with all your lines."

Sasuke could feel his irritation levels rising steadily… and he was already irritated enough as it was! What was the idiot's game now? It was like this morning hadn't even happened! Did he really want to talk about the Hyouton jutsu they had seen, or did he just want to run that dirty mouth of his? Well… whatever the case was, there was only one reason why Sasuke did not attempt to murder the blond shinobi right then… and not because it would stain his bed with Naruto's blood and insides.

_With listening skills like yours, no wonder Sakura-chan is pissed off at you... _

He didn't listen to Sakura? Was that the reason why she was avoiding him and giving him the cold shoulder? He didn't listen to her? But he had been willing and waiting for her to say what was bothering her all this time. Did that not count? He let his mind drift back, thinking of all the times he had been around her. Which among those times had he not listened to her, so much that it would tick her off so badly?

The answer that came almost immediately was when he was 'leaving' Konoha, and she begged him to stop, going as far as to declare unconditional love to his face.

"So, what do you know about those jutsu?" he heard Naruto say, jerking him out of his thoughts. Heavy sarcasm with a hint of mockery entered his voice now. "The great, all-knowing Uchiha _genius_ surely must know something. Even if he is a pathetic, washed-up has-been."

Maybe the stained bed would be worth the price…

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "The only time I've seen techniques similar to those were the ones that Haku used against us back in the Wave Country."

Naruto lifted his head towards him. "Oh? Like what?"

_Figures. Get him talking about jutsu and he stops mouthing off,_ Sasuke thought irritably as he debated with himself on how much he should tell Naruto. On the one hand, he did not want to admit how easily Haku had beaten him, or how close to death he had been. Even now, he could still feel the senbon that had punctured his neck. Why Haku didn't deliver the final blow, Sasuke still did not know. And that bugged him slightly. But on the other hand, he was finding himself curious about this Hyouton as well. He had first thought that it was simply Haku's bloodline, that he and his clan alone would be able to create and manipulate ice. Yet now, they had seen three Yuki-nin – and Sasuke was positive they weren't related to Haku – use the same thing. Plus, Kakashi had copied one of those jutsu with his Sharingan!

The thought of Kakashi's name gave Sasuke a momentary pause, as he tried to put all thoughts of the man out of his mind, since images of his deceased clan were now starting to surface. He hadn't been that close to the man, but knowing that someone else he had known and respected (to a degree) was also dead to him was not something he wanted to think about.

So it was that thought – along with his own curiosity about the potential with Hyouton itself – that outweighed Sasuke's desire not to reveal his past performance. Barely.

"When I was fighting Haku, he used this jutsu he called Makyou Hyoushou, creating several ice mirrors all around me," Sasuke told him, noting that he had the blond's complete attention. "He was then able to merge with the mirrors somehow, allowing his entire body to be inside them. He could then move in between each mirror at a phenomenal speed. He would also hurl senbon at me from each mirror. By moving from each mirror quickly, he could make it seem like senbon were raining on me from all directions. The ice was so thick that my Katons were worthless in trying to melt it." He left out the part of his awakened Sharingan allowing him to be able to dodge for a short time. He wasn't about to go _that_ _far_ in trusting the blond.

Naruto slowly nodded towards him as he casually laid back down. "I see. All he used against me were some Mizu Bunshins and some kind of flying water needle things. Laaaammmeee." Sasuke noted that he was drawling the word out on purpose. Just what kind of stupid game was he playing at now? Naruto brought up a fist and looked at it. "If he used that Makyou Hyoushou thing on me, he might have put up a decent challenge before I killed him."

Those last words seemed to make Sasuke freeze in place right then. WHAT!?! _NARUTO _KILLED HAKU!? No way! It wasn't possible… was it? He knew that Naruto had always held back his true strength from him… and the Wave Country wouldn't have been any different…he then lightly shook his head, trying to calm himself and think rationally. Kakashi was the one who had claimed credit for killing Haku, and Naruto hadn't said anything at the time. If he really had defeated such an opponent, he would have bragged about it. He couldn't think of any reason why Naruto would want to hide such an accomplishment.

_So he's lying. That must be it, _Sasuke thought to himself. Of course, what was he trying to accomplish by telling him such a lie? Because that was it had to be: a lie.

Still…why did he get the feeling that there was more to the story than what Kakashi had told him?

"Of course, such a thing is easy for the future Hokage!" Naruto said out loud, bringing Sasuke out of his thoughts. "Especially when you have one of the _Sannin_ training you."

This time, Sasuke didn't have to think about his reaction. He did something he rarely did. He burst out laughing. It was a weird feeling for him to simply laugh, but how could he help himself? The mere idea of Naruto being trained by one of the Legendary Three was as improbable as it was stupid. _Naruto_!? Being trained by a _Sannin_!? "You _would_ need training by a Sannin to keep up with me," Sasuke said in-between laughs.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto asked, his grin coming into play. "So how do you think I was able learn my most awesome jutsu, huh? Like the one I decimated Gaara with?"

Sasuke's laughing stopped right then. No way… he couldn't… not Naruto… he… he couldn't have really been trained… could he? Sure… his life was filled with secrets… but something like this? But… if he really had received training from a Sannin… then… he really could have learned such a destructive jutsu… "When?" Sasuke demanded, his tone hard. If this was another attempt at a lie, it was no longer amusing. Not when it could be true…

"On and off," Naruto said dismissively. "Most notably during the time before the Chuunin Final Exam, as well as when we went searching for the old hag to become Hokage. Taught me lots of powerful stuff, not like some lazy has-been that got killed by an iceberg falling on him. But teme, you seriously have to have a talk with that brother of yours. He's a bigger pain in the ass than you are, if you can believe it."

This time Sasuke felt himself go ice cold, while simultaneously gazing at the other. No… Naruto… he couldn't have said… no… it wasn't possible. He hadn't mentioned his brother in front of Naruto before… he… he must have heard it from… someone… anyone…

"Name's Itachi, right?" Naruto asked. "About a hundred and seventy-five centimeters tall, two distinct facial lines on his face," he traced the same areas on his own face. "Hair in a ponytail. Hardly talks at all, hardly reacts to anything at all, as if everything is beneath his notice."

Sasuke was unable to keep the surprise off his face. What could his brother and Naruto possibly have in common? He just heard about Itachi from Kakashi, or someone else, right? Yet… would that allow Naruto to describe Itachi so accurately?

It was time for a thorough _interrogation_ of the blond and Sasuke had every attention of doing so.

* * *

**10:00 am**

**Sakura **

Sakura flew through the five handseals again as she felt the mud gather in her mouth. She then made the effort to spit it out. Unfortunately, she had produced a bit too much of the mud in her mouth. The result was her gagging as the mud filled her mouth and she ended up coughing it out in chunks, as opposed to just one burst.

Once again, she noted that Naruto had a certain gleam in his eye whenever she failed at this part. "I never knew you had such a mouth, Sakura-chan," he said, clearly amused.

Sakura did not verbally respond, as she began wiping the mud off her face. Once again, she was finding her front covered in mud, though this time it was a result of her own efforts, as opposed to Naruto doing it.

Truth be told, she felt was doing very well. Naruto had performed the move once more in front of her so that she could clearly analyze how it was performed. Between Naruto performing it and all of her own attempts, there was a considerable amount of mud on the ground, as well as on Sakura herself. When she had done it the first time, she spent the first ten minutes gagging since the mud was stuck in her throat. Once that was clear, she made several attempts, each time slightly changing what she was doing: from the amount of mud she created to how much chakra she put into it.

"You really are starting to get the hang of this, Sakura-chan," Naruto offered as she went through the seals again, remembering some advice she had heard from what seemed like a lifetime ago. It took roughly half an hour, but he finally stopped with that weird envy tone of his. Now he just made smart-assed comments at her attempts. The greater the result she made – mistake or otherwise – the more smart-assed the comment. Which she guessed was Naruto's way of encouragement and being impressed. But those comments were getting more and more irritating as time went by and because Sakura was learning from him, she had to use plenty of self-control to keep herself from pounding the one-eyed shinobi into oblivion.

Her cheeks bulged again and she spat out a small portion of mud perfectly onto the deck as opposed to herself. Though it was smaller than the ones Naruto had produced, it was fairly close. Naruto looked down, then at her and whistled at her with a small smile. "Damn, girl. You really are picking this up fast."

She returned the smile with her own. "Thanks. Just had to remember something Neji once said to me: Don't try to control the chakra, just let it flow. It knows what you want it to do, just let it."

Naruto looked at her curiously. "I didn't know you hung out with him. What were you guys… talking… ab – " He then pointed right at her, his attention completely focused on her. "Say that again," he said in a rush.

"I… said…" Sakura started, now confused about his sudden change in attitude. "'Don't try to control the chakra, just let it flow. It knows what you want it to do, just let it.'"

Naruto just looked at her intently, his mouth hanging open, while his eye darted around, looking like he was trying to grasp something. Then he burst out laughing. "Don't try to… OF COURSE!! That's it! It's so obvious!" He then slapped himself hard on the forehead, now making Sakura wonder if he had just lost his mind. "Why didn't I… now it makes sense!" He then waved at her, looking very jittery, like a child right on Christmas morning. "Thanks, Sakura-chan!" He then took off running, leaving Sakura in complete confusion. After a moment, she took off after him. To learn what he was talking about, if nothing else.

* * *

**Sasuke's Room**

Sasuke was finding himself more and more pissed as their talk went on. Though he meant it to be an interrogation, it was more like a talk of who could say more shit and dodge direct answers, but little by little he felt he was getting the information he sought.

Naruto had started telling him about his journey with Jiraiya when looking for Tsunade to become Hokage. Most of what he talked about was the awesome and powerful jutsu he had learned. Whenever Sasuke made an effort to find about Itachi's role in this, Naruto deliberately gave a half-assed response that could mean anything and shifted to another topic, such as repeating how easily he had killed Haku.

And Sasuke's anger was at its peak right there and the only reason why he hadn't tried to beat the crap out of Naruto was because he had to know what Itachi was doing there. Naruto had discreetly hinted that Itachi had been after him personally, but always skipped around the details as to why. And after all this talk, Sasuke didn't know what to believe anymore. Did Naruto really kill Haku? Had he really received training from a Sannin? Was his brother really after him? Dammit! He wanted the damn truth of all this!

"And so, I won the bet with the old hag, who was so thoroughly and completely impressed with what I did that – " Naruto was currently saying.

"WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP AND TELL ME ABOUT ITACHI!?" Sasuke roared once again. Oh… what he wouldn't give just to shut Naruto's mouth permanently.

"Why don't you just shut up and worship me?" Naruto demanded, not moving from his position on the bed. "See? I'm not getting what I want and you don't hear me whining about it like some three-year-old."

"JUST ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!!" Sasuke shouted again. "OR I'LL – "

"Or you'll what?" Naruto interrupted as he looked at him. He then slowly got off the bed and walked towards him until they were face-to-face. "Beat me up? Kill me? Face it, _Sasuke_: you can't beat me. You're too far behind me now."

"I'll do whatever it takes to beat the crap out of you," Sasuke hissed back at him, surprised that he could talk somewhat levelly. He then subconsciously touched the Curse Seal on his neck. If there was one positive thing about this whole thing, he was that he didn't feel that damn urge once.

"Like resorting to that Curse Seal of yours?" Naruto pressed. "You're still going to take the easy way out? Fine! Go get your false strength! You like it so much, why don't you just go to Orochimaru then like everyone thought you were doing! At least that way I don't have to deal with your sore loser attitude!"

"Maybe I will!" Sasuke shouted back, surprised at what his own mouth was saying, but he no longer cared. He just wanted to rip Naruto limb from limb. "That what you want so bad?! For me to be gone? Fine!"

He saw Naruto gave a small half smile that remained for a split second before disappearing as quickly as it came. "Then let's settle this once and for all," he said.

Despite himself, Sasuke found himself intrigued. "Go on," he said slowly.

"Let's go and fight, like we did at the Valley at the End. Without that bastard Hatake around, no one will be able to stop us like earlier. Let's settle this between us right now, see exactly who the weakling is."

Sasuke found himself grinning. This would be a great stress reliever; after he had Naruto on his knees begging for mercy he would finally drag the truth about him and Itachi out. He then gestured with his head to the door as the two began walking towards it. Behind Sasuke's back, Naruto lowered his right arm to his side. A small syringe dropped out of his sleeve and into his hand. Sasuke then moved to open the door, when it suddenly swung open and slammed right into him. A second Naruto appeared in the doorway, with a very happy look on his face. "Hey! Teme! I figured it out! Huh!?" He stopped as he looked inside, seeing himself. "What is this, some kind of joke, teme!?"

Sakura then appeared in the doorway. "What are you doing, Naruto?" She then looked in the room. "Er… Narutos?"

"Idiot…" said a strained voice. All three people looked to see Sasuke violently push the door back at Naruto, which slammed into him. "What the hell…" he trailed off as he looked at the two Narutos. "What the hell are you trying to pull with your stupid Kage Bunshins!?"

Naruto slowly pushed the door back. "I… haven't… made any Kage Bunshins recently," he said.

The four then just looked at each other, as Sasuke and Sakura slowly absorbed what the second Naruto had just said. "Then…" Sasuke said as he tried to sort all this out as he pointed at the first Naruto. "Who…"

"Enmaku!" The first Naruto shouted as a dense smoke cloud blew out of his mouth, engulfing the other three. Sasuke hated this damn jutsu simply because it was so simple, yet so effective. And most of all: because someone like Naruto thought of it first. He then felt a sudden gust of air as the Naruto ran past him and collided with someone. Sasuke then cleared the smoke himself alongside Sakura as they saw the two Narutos grabbing each other and fighting on the ground. It might have been funny if he wasn't as confused as hell.

One Naruto then punched the other one hard on the chin, sending the other one into the air. The first one then crouched down, leapt into the air and kicked the other Naruto hard in the gut, sending him crashing through the deck. That seemed familiar, Sasuke commented to himself as he quickly followed through the new hole.

Sakura had lingered a moment longer, looking down on the floor. She saw a small syringe on the ground. Curious, she bent down and picked it up as she looked it over. It looked like one of the ones Shizune had shown them in the CLS classes. She then heard cries above, so she stuffed it into her back pouch as she too leapt up.

* * *

**Main Deck**

Sakura quickly jumped onto the deck. All around her she saw that all the crewmembers and movie crew were frantically running around, both trying to get out of the way of the two fighting Narutos and trying to understand why there were two Narutos fighting in the first place.

Sasuke looked at Sakura as she ran over to him. "You think it's…?"

"The intruder?" she finished. "Might be. Yuki-nin wouldn't be here, plus Kakashi-sensei is…"

Sasuke merely nodded. The Narutos continued to grab, bite, claw, punch, and kick each other as they rolled across the ground. A Naruto then managed to get both feet firmly planted on the other Naruto's chest and launched him like a cannonball. That blond crashed into several boxes loudly.

That Naruto then quickly shouted "Tatewaru!" and charged the other one. Sasuke then looked around and saw the bastard. He quickly grabbed him by the arm. "Get everyone off deck," he ordered. The second Naruto ducked underneath the strike, and proceeded with a swift kick to the other Naruto's jaw, causing Makino to turn and watch them. The Naruto with the Shieldbreaker went flying upwards, with the other one quickly following him, producing a kunai.

"Now!" Sasuke shouted at the director, snapping the older man back to reality. Makino then looked at Sasuke, then the Narutos, and he quickly nodded. Makino then started gathering everyone and they all began running below deck. Makino then grabbed several cameramen and muttered to them "Get this on camera!"

Soon, the deck was clear except for the four shinobi figures. The Naruto with the Tatewaru pivoted in midair and landed against one of the sail posts. Using it as a brace, he launched himself at an astounding speed back at his doppelganger. That said Naruto then dropped the kunai and abandoned the idea of using a five seal jutsu in favor of a three seal one instead.

"Kaze Tate!" A Naruto roared. Immediately, fierce winds erupted from around his body and pummeled into the other Naruto, who had been an eye blink away from striking with the Tatewaru. Instead, he was blasted into the air again, crashing through the sail post and kept on going.

That Naruto in the air swore loudly. "Hey, Faker! DON'T STEAL MY JUTSU!!!" He let the Tatewaru die out and then formed several more seals. "Kaze Doriru!" Sharp winds then formed around the boy and allowed gravity to hurl him downwards.

"ME!?" the Naruto at a lower altitude shouted back. "YOU'RE THE DAMN FAKE!! KAZE KIWA!!" This Naruto's right arm was encased in the same deadly wind as he touched the ground. He then rebounded and shot towards his other. The two collided in midair. Both winds then seemed to drill into each other, each trying to overcome the other while their users kept making them stronger and stronger. Then the wind burst all around them, sending a Naruto crashing into the opposite side of the ship.

"KAZE OSHIYARU!" the Left Naruto shouted.

"KUNAI SOUFUU ATSU!!" the Right Naruto answered.

The two wind techniques rushed forward at each other, with the Kunai Soufuu Atsu cutting through the heart of the Oshiyaru, reducing it to a pathetic wind, but the effort cost the Kunai Soufuu Atsu as it was overcome in the process.

"DAMN YOU!!! THAT'S _MY JUTSU!!!"_ Both Narutos shouted at each other as they ran towards each other. Neither one bothered to use another jutsu as they clashed in the center of the ship. One Naruto threw a fierce right hook, hitting his opponent in the chin. That Naruto then uppercutted the first one in the chest. The first Naruto then grabbed the other one's head and slammed his forehead against his, causing both to back off, yelling "Ouch! That smarts!"

"It was your fault!" one Naruto accused.

"The hell!? You were the one that did it!" the other accused.

"RETARD!!" They both shouted as they ran towards each other, exchanging blows once again.

Sasuke and Sakura were watching helplessly on the sidelines, wondering what the hell they should do as the two Narutos simply stood their ground and pounded on each other, neither one even trying to block, but seeing who could endure the most pain. "How do we tell the real one apart?" she asked him desperately.

Both Narutos pulled away from each other. One spoke out. "I'm the real one!"

"No, dammit, I'm the real one and I'll prove it! Sasuke's a big dickweed!"

The other Naruto turned around and pointed right at him. "Is that the best you got, imposter!? Sasuke is just a power-hungry motherfucker!"

"Now I know you're the fake! Sasuke is a red-eyed freak who can't fight on his own without that wussy Sharingan shit!"

"That's lame! Sasuke's just a dumbass who uses false power because he's a self-centered brat!"

There was no doubt in Sakura's mind now. These two – imposter and genuine article – were indeed enjoying this. As for Sasuke, he was muttering threats under his breath, while his whole head twitched in anger. "Screw this… I'LL JUST KILL THEM BOTH!!!" With that, Sasuke fired a Goukakyuu at the two, stronger than average just for an added incentive.

Both Narutos saw that quickly and jumped back to avoid the blast, which went flying out into the open sea. "WATCH IT, TEME!!"

"This is just ridiculous," Sakura said, rubbing her forehead. "Same personality, same actions. Heck, even the same jutsu. How are we supposed to find the real one?"

Sasuke merely snorted in response. "I kill one, and you can kill the other?"

"That's not funny!"

"Fine, back to the original plan: I'll kill both myself."

"Will you shut up, Sasuke!?" One Naruto demanded. "That's not helping the situation! Besides, I can kick _both _your asses if I have to!"

"At least that jutsu works," the other Naruto said. "Unlike his other one. He'll never get that thing working." He then broke out into a big grin. "Of course, for someone like me, I could do it in no time! Not that I would ever agree to something like that. Hey, Sasuke! If you beg me to, maybe I'll reconsider!" He then began laughing quite loudly.

Sasuke gave a small jerk as he slowly remembered something. Slowly, a small smile appeared on his face. "You're right…" he said to the one that spoke. "The real Naruto wouldn't offer such a thing." He then looked at the other one. "So you must be the fake."

"Are you sure?" Sakura asked confused, while that Naruto grinned in response as he reached for a kunai. "You think so, huh? Fine. I'll just kick your ass first, then the fake's."

"Um… wait…" Sakura said halfheartedly, not sure if she should try to intervene or not. Sasuke then made six quick seals, while the Naruto took out the kunai and flashed through five.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no – "

"Kunai Soufuu – "

At the last second, both boys turned and faced the other Naruto as they yelled "JUTSU!!" and "ATSU!!" The spiraling air collided with the fireball and the two attacks merged as they flew to their target. That Naruto screamed out as he bent backwards almost a full ninety degree angle, barely missing the combined attack. Once it passed by him and he fell on the deck, he shot a death glare at the two. "What the hell did you do that for!?"

"You're the fake," both Sasuke and the Naruto said as he walked over to his two teammates.

"What?!" the other Naruto shouted, jumping to his feet and pointing at their direction. "I thought we just agreed that I would never agree to help you on a jutsu."

"And that's why we know you're the fake," Sasuke said confidently.

"There are some things that go unspoken," Naruto said. "And what you just said wasn't one of them."

Both the other Naruto and even Sakura didn't understand what the two were talking about, but the two boys did.

_"No," Naruto answered honestly. "Katons aren't my thing. But if I'm going to help you fix the problem, I need to know what I have to work with." He looked harder at Sasuke. "And I mean that in every sense of the phrase." He held out his hand and waited. "Are you game?" _

_Sasuke didn't respond immediately. He seemed lost in his own world, but Naruto didn't press him. He knew how reluctant he would be if it was the other way around, so he waited. A small smile then appeared on Sasuke's face. He stretched out his own hand and slapped Naruto's. The two firmly clasped. A pledge between men. And more importantly… between friends. _

_"I'm game," he answered, the coming of dawn just emerging. _

There was no way that moment of understanding between them had been fake. Both boys had been completely sincere with each other, holding no ill intentions and willing to help each other for the mere fact that they were friends. And the fact that the imposter had said something completely against that clearly showed he had not experienced such an understanding between the two of them.

Fake Naruto then appealed to Sakura. "Come on, Sakura-chan! You believe me, right?! I'm the real one."

Sakura considered all the boys eyes focused on her. After a time, she spoke. "Would you be willing to teach me one of your jutsus?"

"Huh?" That Naruto said, as he looked confused. He looked like he was debating with himself while the other three waited. Finally, he said "If that's what's needed to prove I'm the real one, fine!"

Sakura merely nodded as she looked at the other two. "You're right. He's the imposter."

"WHAT!?"

"You're the imposter," Sakura repeated. His hesitation had been more than enough to confirm to her that he was the fake. If he had been the real one, he would have commented that he was already teaching her one. There was no reason to hesitate to give such an answer, especially in this situation. Since he didn't, he must have been the one in Sasuke's room. She mentally kicked herself for not thinking of that earlier.

"So drop the act!" the real Naruto yelled at the fake. "Tell us who you are already, and more importantly: HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW MY JUTSU!?!"

The other Naruto looked at them all. Then, slowly, a smile bloomed on his face. "Yes," he said in a voice completely different from any of theirs. He calmly stood up and brushed himself off. "I suppose maintaining this charade is rather pointless now, isn't it?"

"Just shut up and tell us who are you are!" Sasuke demanded.

Fake Naruto laughed. "You don't recognize me? Well… I guess that's my own fault." He gestured at himself. "Allow me to clear things up."

The figure then began to grow taller, as well as more muscular. The pale pink skin was replaced with a ghostly white. The spiky blond hair turned jet black as it grew out. The orange clothes then shifted to a light tan shirt, a large purple belt-like thing, and grayish pants.

"You…" Sasuke said slowly, the rest of his words lodged in his throat.

"No…" Sakura said, on the verge of tears. "Not you… not you…"

"Bastard…" Naruto said in a low voice, but began sweating as well. This… was bad. Very bad.

Orochimaru smiled at the three Genin anew. "Long time, no see, my little genin."

* * *

**(Author's Note)** Whew… this chapter is finally done. I had quite a challenge with this one. Not only have I been hit with a lazy streak that has hindered my ability to write recently, but the scene with Naruto/Bakeru and Sasuke was also quite difficult. I had to be careful how much was said, what was said and why it was said, especially since such topics are rather crucial to the Legacy storylines. So I discussed the basic outline of the plan with Tellemicus and got his opinion on it (thanks for all your comments on that, my friend!). I think the end result came out ok, but I'll have to see how you all view it. 

Just out of curiosity: how many actually thought it was the real Naruto when he was talking with Sasuke? I felt it was fairly obvious that it was a fake, just given on how "Naruto" acted, such as spilling secrets Legacy Naruto did not want to be revealed, but that may simply be because I'm the author.

How was the Naruto vs. Naruto fight? Confusing? I hope so! I found it very much so when I wrote it! I also felt it was rather short, but fun at the same time. I could have tried to expand it, but the fact is all of Team 7's fights can't be epic since I'm working with a short timeline here. Otherwise, not only would they be showing abilities above that in Legacy of the Rasengan Part 1, but also they would also be a bit too overpowered by having too many fights (high-leveled or otherwise) with very little recovery time in between. It's not only unrealistic to me but also a bad idea overall. To be honest, I think I'm stretching this aspect to its limits already, but I hope not to outright break it.

Jutsu used in this chapter

**Fuuton: Kaze Tate**--_Wind Release: Wind Shield_/ This jutsu creates a small tornado-like wind around the user. In general this jutsu is only able to deflect the average kunai and shuriken and has several other minor uses. But the true power of this defensive jutsu lies in the amount of chakra used in it, the more chakra used means the stronger the shielding action will become. There is no real definite answer as to just how powerful this jutsu could become, but it could most definitely blow away an entire army if used correctly. (low C-Class Ninjutsu) Original technique created by Tellemicus

**Fuuton: Kaze Doriru--**_Wind Release: Wind Drill Technique//_Currently it is a combination of the Kaze Wana and Kaze Kiwa jutsus. Naruto made this on a whim of desperation to get Gaara away from Sakura in the forest, it was only to be used as a distraction anyway. But now that he has made it, he will continue to experiment and enhance its effects. It will essentially just become a Kaze Kiwa extended to cover the whole body while Naruto is taking a nosedive at an opponent from a great distance above. The speed of the dive with the cutting power of the Kaze Kiwa makes this a lethal jutsu… if it can hit the enemy. If the enemy sees it coming, it is very easy to avoid it. But if he's taken by surprise, there is a high possibility that he/she will die. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Original technique created by Tellemicus

**Katon/Fuuton: Baaningu Soufuu Atsu--**_Fire/Wind Release: Burning Blast Pressure//_A combination of Katon and Fuuton class ninjutsu. Both Sasuke and Naruto will perform their respective jutsu: Goukakyuu and Kunai Soufuu Atsu and then launch them both in the same direction. This allows them to merge by effectively setting the Kunai Soufuu Atsu on fire, with the winds of the technique feeding the flames and making them that much more intense. This results in the victim being pierced by the sharp wind, as well as burned by the flames. Though the merging is easy, this limits in how this jutsu can be used, as both Sasuke and Naruto must fire in the same direction, as well as make sure their jutsu connects with each other making it not as versatile as either of its 'parent' jutsu. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto and Sasuke)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to paintball-gamer for betaing reading this!_


	11. Intentions

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 11- Intentions_

**10:14 am**

Bakeru allowed himself to smile at the three genin he was now facing. Yes, it had been a good choice to take the form of his master in front of them, and they were reacting just as he had anticipated. Anxiety. Uncertainty. Apprehensiveness. Self-doubt. And above all else: fear. Deception was the trademark of the shinobi, after all, and they didn't know who he was, or, more importantly, what he was. As far as they were concerned, he _was_ Orochimaru, which would mean that their reactions to him would be influenced by their own views of the Hebi Sannin and ultimately degrade their performance and fighting abilities, the girl especially. Of course, his master might object to using his form for his own usage, but he had been told they would not question his methods as long as he succeeded in his mission.

His plan had seemed so simple: talk to Uchiha as Uzumaki while the genuine article and Haruno were in the midst of their own training. Due to their driven personalities to work and improve on their skills, the two of them should have been working for hours, leaving him plenty of time to talk with the Uchiha and get him to come willingly. If he had taken out either Uzumaki or Haruno beforehand, there was a likely possibility that someone would have noticed them missing and that would have raised suspicion among the rest, making his dealing with Uchiha that much more difficult. He should have had plenty of time to talk to the Uchiha, subdue him, then take out the other two quickly.

Yet, against his predictions, both of them had shown up at Uchiha's room only a short hour later. Seriously… what were the odds of that happening!?

Bakeru took a few strideful steps to them. "How long has it been? A few months since our encounter in the Forest of Death? How time flies when friends are apart."

The girl spoke first. "W-we're… not… f-f-friends."

"On the contrary. I've grown to like you three," 'Orochimaru' said, a hint of mockery in his voice. His eyes then settled right on her, and she seemed to freeze up completely at the sight. "Come now, Sakura-chan. Surely you aren't the same frightened little girl I saw back then. You carry yourself so differently now. For example, you're actually standing when you look at me, instead of collapsing to your knees." He gave a low laugh towards her, to which she reacted by looking down at her feet, tears fresh now.

As one, both Sasuke and Naruto moved a little closer to their teammate, glaring at him fiercely. He chuckled again. "So… Naruto-kun… how are the old bags doing?"

Naruto snarled. "Upset that they didn't get the chance to kill you when they had the chance." He cracked his fists next. "But that's perfectly fine with me because now I get the chance to avenge Ojisan _right now_!"

"Oh… I certainly hope you try, Naruto-kun. I am most curious to see the full extent of your abilities and if they meet the expectations that the rumors about you say they do." He let out another laugh, mimicking his master as best he could. To add salt to the open wound, he shot a quick look at Sasuke while still talking to Naruto. "Just remember: you don't have my old teammates to protect you this time around."

The statement made Sasuke visibly flinch, though neither Naruto (who was shouting some insult) nor Sakura (still looking downward) saw it. Did… did he… just confirm that Naruto had spent time with the other two Sannin!? He took a quick look at Naruto, as if seeing him for the first time. So then… if he really did spend time with them… did he really get trained by Jiraiya? Had he really been the one who killed Haku? And most importantly: did his brother have an interest in the blond? Or was it just more of the same lies? Urg… he didn't know!

Naruto, on the other hand, had his mind racing as fast as he could. What to do, what to do? Oh, how he wanted to kill the snake bastard right now. There was just one problem. HOW!? This was freakin' _Orochimaru_ here! It's not like it was some random missing nin or Yuki-nin. Out of the corner of his working eye, he looked at both Sasuke and Sakura. The girl was still sobbing slightly, but she didn't look like she was about to run. He still couldn't believe how easily Sakura was mastering the Doryuuheki! He could still remember how much he struggled just to get the earth to cling to his palm and she did it on her first try! And as if to rub it in his face (intentionally or otherwise), she did it effortlessly too! That was so not fair!

Speaking of his female teammate, he wondered anew why someone like her would talk to someone like Neji. Apparently she got some chakra control advice from him, so maybe she asked Neji for help? Or could Neji have actually asked her for help on something? Or maybe they just bumped into each other while they were out and started talking? He gave a mental shrug and made a note to ask her about it when they didn't have one of the Sannin trying to kill them. His glance then shifted to his other teammate and he saw that Sasuke looked a little shaken as well, but Naruto felt that once the fighting started, he would snap out of it. _Just don't panic_,Naruto told himself. If they worked together, they just might have a chance…

… the same chance that three ants had to a dinosaur…

He shook it off. No. They were going to meet this head on and they were going to win! Somehow. They'd think of something… hopefully. His mind began running through possibilities and scenarios as he tried to form some kind of battle plan. Yeah… as long as they kept their cool and worked together, they would win this!

And that's when Sasuke smacked him hard on the head.

"Hey!" Naruto roared, forgetting all about Orochimaru at the moment and focusing his attention on the raven-haired ass that just hit him. "What the hell was that for!?"

"For your stupid little insult competition about me earlier," Sasuke said, partially lying. It was more for the fact that Naruto kept so many damn secrets that he didn't know what to believe about him. Though the insult part was a nice added touch.

"Oh, come on! It's not like that was anything new, dumbass!"

"You didn't have to be so happy about it, idiot!"

"Well why couldn't you tell it was a fake me earlier and save us all the fuckin' trouble!?"

"Well why couldn't be honest about your life and not keep so many damn secrets!?"

"Easy! _My_ life, _my_ secrets, _MY BUSINESS_!"

"Not when it concerns me!"

"_SHUT… UP!!_"

And with that, a thoroughly enraged Sakura grabbed both of the boys' heads and slammed them together, making both Sasuke and Naruto recoil with pain throughout their bodies. "_We have Orochimaru - an S-class Nukenin, the killer of the Third, and the greatest threat to Konoha - out to get us and you two choose _now_ to start fighting!? Snap out of it or _I'll _be the one bringing on the pain, GOT IT!?"_Sakura roared at them. Inner Sakura was yelling much more vigorously in her mind as she imagined various ways to deliver on that promise.

"Yes ma'am," both boys answered automatically. With that, Sakura let them go, making both of them crash down onto the deck, with Sakura shaking her head at them like a mother disapproving over her children.

Inside the ship, the movie crew - while filming the entire thing and peeking out however they could - all sweatdropped at the sight. Those three were now fighting amongst themselves instead of against the big, creepy, overpowered shinobi opponent. "Are… you sure… we're going to be… alright?" Hidero asked nervously. After all… these three were supposed to be their best fighters on this suicidal journey to the Snow Country. If they couldn't keep their cool with just one enemy (ignoring the fact of how powerful this enemy was!), how the hell were they going to be able to handle themselves at the Snow Country?!

"They'll be alright…" Kaijo responded, though his body was shaking just as badly as the majority of the people. "Maybe… probably… I hope…" Those last two words were said in a very low and meek voice.

"Of course they'll be alright," Makino said, sitting in his director's chair. He reached into his pocket, grabbed his pipe, and put it in his mouth. "In fact, they couldn't be better."

The others looked at him in complete disbelief. "And how… pray tell… did you come up with that notion?" Koyuki asked him.

"Easy." The old director lit his pipe. After breathing out a puff of smoke, he continued. "Look at them. Sakura is no longer quivering in fear, while Naruto and Sasuke are more at ease. A complete turnaround from just a few moments ago." A smile etched on his face. Oh, this was going to be big! How often did someone get one of the Sannin in the movies!? They'd be nominated (and win!) for Visual Effects, Original Screenplay and, of course, Best Director! "And that, my young friends, is going to make all the difference." He briefly wondered if this was a ploy by one of the boys, or even both of them, to overcome their fear and nervousness. "Make sure you've got a wide angle shot of those three."

Back on deck, Sasuke and Naruto picked themselves up, while Orochimaru looked slightly annoyed. "If you three are done now," he looked directly at Sasuke and beckoned him. "Come now, Sasuke-kun… it is time to leave."

"Leave?" both Naruto and Sakura repeated.

"Why, yes. In his room, Sasuke-kun agreed to come to Sound with me."

Naruto and Sakura looked at Sasuke, one with fury in his eye, the other with disbelief in hers. "I did not!" Sasuke immediately shouted.

Naruto was pissed. Sasuke-teme was still thinking of leaving!? Did he have no shame or honor at all!? "Why you motherfucking-traitorous-son-of-a-bitch-asshole! I can't believe that you're still thinking of abandoning Konoha after all of this!"

"I'm not," Sasuke insisted angrily. With that, he took off running towards the enemy. Bakeru quickly shifted into a Taijutsu stance as he looked at the speeding Uchiha coming straight at him. That little brawl with Uzumaki had done wonders for him, allowing Bakeru to see just how well he could mimic someone, even of the shinobi class, when he had access to their full memories. The results had surprised even him and as a result, he was more than ready for these three brats. He let Sasuke's memories flow in his mind. Not to anticipate the boy's moves, but to _know_ what his moves were.

Uchiha Sasuke. Specializes in close to mid-range combat. His Sharingan is currently at the three tomoe state, allowing him to see the opponent's moves ahead of time and counter them, as well as copying opposing jutsu. Possesses the Heaven Curse Seal and using it to its second form. Currently adept in using both Katon and Raiton class ninjutsu. His Taijutsu skills are formidable and his speed is especially top notch. Overall threat: mid-B class.

Snapping his Sharingan on, Sasuke ran up to Bakeru, throwing a quick right punch towards him. Bakeru swiftly used a left outward block and caught his hand, immediately throwing a right hook to the Uchiha's chin. Sasuke threw his head backward to avoid the strike, just as the shapeshifter knew he would. With his eyes looking upward, Bakeru fired a quick right kick into the boy's stomach. Sasuke gasped as he felt some of the wind knocked out of him, but moved into his own kick to Bakeru's hand, forcing him to let go before the kick could connect.

_That's right,_ Bakeru thought to himself. _Keep the boy off balance. Don't give him the chance to attack continuously or use a jutsu._

Sasuke backflipped back to the deck, and launched himself from the deck to his opponent. Wait for it… wait for it… After a brief exchange, Sasuke jumped back a ways, bringing his hands together.

Interrupt!

Bakeru's right arm stretched out, much to his opponent's surprise. It shot right through Sasuke's hands, stopping the sequence, and grabbed the boy's throat. "No Katons for you," Bakeru muttered. Shifting his weight, he turned around and threw the boy right towards the ship's main mast. As a credit to the boy's skill, he manage to reposition himself and land on his feet, like a fly clinging to the wall.

Just as Bakeru knew he would. The boy would now attempt to use the mast as a brace to launch himself at him, hoping that the unexpected speed would catch him off guard. Too bad it wouldn't work.

Just as Sasuke launched himself, Bakeru's other arm shot at him as well, striking the boy again in the stomach. This time, with the added force of Sasuke propelling himself, as well as the abrupt force of Bakeru's punch to Sasuke's already sensitive stomach, it was too much for the boy this time around. Sasuke let out a very loud and painful gasp this time around, when Bakeru noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

Oh no you don't.

With a simple gesture, Bakeru grabbed Sasuke's shirt collar and hurled him with all his might right at his blond teammate, who was on the second seal for his signature Kaze Kiwa. Naruto only had a split second to notice the human bullet coming right at him and act accordingly. But for someone like him, that split second was more than enough to adapt to the situation. Naruto style.

Abandoning his wind jutsu, he swung his right foot up and met Sasuke's neck. Naruto gave the other boy a smile that said 'You'll-Thank-Me-For-This-Later'. Using a little more force, Naruto diverted Sasuke away from himself and kicked him in a completely different direction.

Right… at… Sakura.

A second later, Sasuke collided into Sakura and both crashed down onto the deck, clearly surprised, embarrassed, and very flustered as Sasuke landed right on… well… right _on_ her. A perfect shot.

"WHAT'S YOUR _HAND_ DOING _THERE_!?"

"IT'S NOT _MY_ FAULT!! BLAME _HIM!!"_

Then together, "NARUTO!! YOU'RE DEAD!!"

Aw… music to his ears.

Naruto grinned to himself as he charged the snake. If that didn't give Sasuke and Sakura a reason to get together and talk - whatever it was they had to talk about - and sort out their problems… he didn't know what would. Plus, it got him a couple of good laughs. A perfect win-win situation, if he did say so himself. "Now remember you two… don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"NA-_RU-__**TO**_!!" He could just see their faces go supernova perfectly in his mind now. Bakeru now focused his attention on Naruto, letting the boy's memories flow through his mind now.

Uzumaki Naruto. Also specializes in close to mid-range combat. Particularly skillful with the Kage Bunshin, allowing him to swarm enemies with sheer numbers. Demon host of the Kyuubi itself, allowing him to draw on its chakra on top of his already large capacity, on top of heightening his senses, most notably his sense of smell. Has at least one jutsu of the Katon, Suiton, Doton and Fuuton class, but especially skilled in the last one. Overall threat: high B-class.

Naruto threw a quick punch at Bakeru/Orochimaru, who quickly blocked. Naruto then spun around with a heel kick aimed at the man's face. Bakeru ducked the blow and did a quick head shot to Naruto's face. Naruto stumbled backwards, withdrawing several shuriken and tossing them at the shapeshifter. _He's using the shuriken as a distraction so that he can use a jutsu. More specifically the Kage Bunshin. _Calmly, he caught them and threw them back at the boy, who jumped in the air, his eye clearly focused on Bakeru's arms.

Perfect.

Interrupt!

As Naruto brought his hands closer for the seal, Bakeru's tongue shot out of his mouth, much like his master's did. It traveled right through Naruto's hands and wrapped around his throat securely, though the boy was able to react quickly enough to bring his hands and take hold of the tongue before it could choke him completely. "One of you is more than enough, Naruto-kun." Twisting his tongue, he rolled the boy around and slammed him down headfirst onto the deck.

"Nasty!" Naruto shouted from his position. "This thing is gross! Stick to the arms stretching out, would ya!?"

Bakeru snorted. Typical of Uzumaki. Complain about the 'nasty' tongue, rather than the fact that he'd just had his head bashed into the ground. And if he had been the type to engage in banter, Bakeru might have commented on it out loud. Instead, he whipped Naruto around and sent him flying back towards the other section of the boat. "Don't even think about it, Sakura-chan," he said as he withdrew his tongue back into his mouth.

Haruno Sakura. Capable of only short range combat, with very limited long-range tactics. Is quite skilled at detecting and displaying Genjutsu and recently began developing her own. Her speed and stamina are far less than her teammates, but has a fierce temper. Currently able to use only the Doton class. Overall threat: low C-class

The girl - who was halfway through her Haruno Sakura - froze on the spot. "If you value that pretty little head of yours staying on your shoulders, I would suggest that you don't get in my way."

Sakura gulped as her hands fell to her side, while the two boys slowly got to their feet as well. Bakeru faced them anew. "It seems your skills have improved… some." He addressed the two boys, sticking out his hand, beckoning. "Now… if you are done, let us take our leave."

"Screw you," Sasuke said, breathing easier now as he regained his breath. "I'm staying with my team - " he stopped in mid-word and corrected himself. "My _friends." _Part of Sasuke couldn't believe he just used the F word. It sounded so… foreign to him. Though both Sakura and Naruto looked at him completely dazed. Apparently they were just as surprised as he was that he said that word. "So go suck a lemon and get out of here!"

Bakeru shook his head. So the Uchiha wasn't going to come willingly, was he? Resolved to staying with… Bakeru paused as he considered. Well… why not? "Fine. If those two mean that much to you, bring them along as well."

All three of them gawked, while the movie crew seemed to stop breathing. Except Makino, who merely grinned at the sight. Temptation on all three of them! That would surely get the audience's attention! The tension would be so thick in the air, you could cut it with a knife! It was absolutely perfect!

"WHAT!?" Team 7 shouted all at once.

"I said: bring them with you." Bakeru repeated. Surely his master would not object to this. And if he did, when they did all get back to Sound, it wouldn't matter either way. His master would have Uchiha and could dispose of Uzumaki and Haruno if need be. He pointed at Naruto. "Come with me and we'll make you stronger than any Hokage that came before. We'll make it so that you learn how to harness the Kyuubi's power that lies within you. Completely under your control." From the boy's memories, he knew that offer would not tempt Uzumaki in the slightest, but it was something that his master would say and it was important to keep up appearances. Now to appeal to his nature. "I also have access to vast amounts of different types of jutsu. Techniques you never even imagined. Come with me and you'll be able to go wild with your original creations."

He looked at Sakura now. "As for you, my methods might be… overwhelming for one such as yourself, but we can work around that. We can make you stronger. Much stronger." From the girl's memories, he knew that was what she wanted: to no longer be left behind and to be able to fight on par with her teammates. "Come with us, Sakura-chan, and we'll be able to appeal to _all_ of your ambitions and goals."

"You're… serious?" Naruto spoke out. He couldn't believe the Snake Bastard would actually want him and Sakura tagging along. What was he, senile or something!?

The man nodded. "But of course. Remember, I told you in the Forest of Death. How 'I wonder what would've become of you had you been born in my village'. You had told me that you would 'make it your mission in life to torture me to death.' Let's find out if you can do it. I always enjoy a… _challenge." _He beckoned them once again. "What say you?"

Silence reigned for what seemed to be an eternity, when in reality it was but a moment. During that single moment, no one seemed to breathe, no one seemed to move, save for the three youngster's eyes looking at each other. The wind blew across them all, while a small cloud cover was starting to form, as if to add to the tension. "What say you?" Bakeru repeated again.

The answer finally came when both Sasuke and Naruto moved. Towards each other. Bakeru raised an eyebrow as the two boys continued to move towards each other, their eyes never leaving him. Slowly Sasuke overlapped Naruto, completely concealing the smaller boy behind him and out of Bakeru's sight. Now… what were those two planning? He found no precedent for this in the memories, but that was hardly surprising. These two were more than capable of thinking stuff up on the fly.

Immediately, Sasuke - with Naruto behind - took off running towards him. Sasuke then shot to his left, aiming a kick to his side, while Naruto emerged. His Oboro was active and he aimed a solid right punch to Bakeru's gut. The man lifted his leg to intercept Uchiha's kick, while blocking Uzumaki's punch. That didn't stop either boy as they set in a new attack, forcing Bakeru to backflip out of their way. Once he landed, they were on him again. He guided Naruto's newest punch to his side, then shot his elbow directly in the boy's face. He was barely able to stop Uchiha's latest kunai strike to his face. He caught the boy's hand and twisted it. Before he could break the bone, Uzumaki came at him from the air, a kick aiming for his face.

Again, Bakeru was forced to retreat to avoid the blow. With both attacking at once, he couldn't let the memories flow to guide him again. One was strenuous enough to do, but two at once was not possible. He'd have to adapt his tactics. He saw that Uzumaki quickly grabbed a kunai and began performing the one-handed seals. Stretching out his arm again to stop the process, it was blocked by Sasuke's kick. The boy then rebounded off the ground and launched himself at Bakeru, a punch intended for his face. Bakeru barely had time to jerk his head aside to dodge it.

"Kunai Soufuu Atsu!"

Bakeru swore mentally as he jumped up to avoid the wind blast. He then used both of his arms to intercept Uchiha's next punch, as well Uzumaki's incoming kick while still air bound.

Then the right side of his face exploded in pain.

WHO!?

"SHANNARO!!" Sakura yelled, driving her punch as hard as she could now. That resulted in the Orochimaru-look-alike flying through the air and slamming into the main mast face-first, leaving a few cracks behind. After a moment, Bakeru slid down the mast and fell down on the deck, his butt in the air. Ouch. _That _hurt!

"GO TO HELL!!" Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all yelled at once. "AND TAKE THE SNAKE WITH YOU!!"

"And there's the creep's answer to his offer," Makino said dramatically from his position, while the others were gawking at the sight. "And what teamwork, what drama, what tension, _what a punch_! Tell me we got all that on camera!"

Bakeru groaned as he rubbed his face, both front and right side. Ouch, boy did that hurt. He had underestimated the girl's strength. A big mistake, it seemed. But from her memories, she didn't indicate such levels of brutality. Perhaps he should have paid more attention to her reaction to hitting Mizore in the face. He shook his head as he got to his feet. It mattered not. He would not make that mistake again, though perhaps Haruno's overall threat was higher than he originally surmised.

"I thought I told you," Naruto said loudly, drawing Bakeru back to reality. "Drop the act!"

_Act?_ Bakeru repeated mentally. Then he remembered what they had just said. But… how did they know!? What gave him away? "Act?" He repeated out loud, trying his best to sound amused. "You dare speak to Orochi - "

"Can it," Sasuke interrupted. "You may look like him, but whoever you are, you're not him. Orochimaru doesn't negotiate to the extent you do. He takes. Plus, your fighting skills aren't on par for someone like him."

"When you're around Orochimaru," Sakura spoke up this time. "You feel… terrified. Unclean. You want to run for your life. But with you… that isn't there. At first glance it is, but once we all calmed down, that feeling isn't so apparent anymore."

Bakeru said nothing for a moment. Then he gave a soft laugh. "Oh… you three _are_ good. I'll admit, I'm rather impressed. You really _do _have brains in those heads of yours." He gave then a cheeky grin. "Who am I, you ask?" That grin bloomed into a full smile. "Why… I'm _you._"

With that word, Orochimaru shrunk down, assuming the appearance of Naruto once again. The closed eye sprang open as Bakeru said "And you…" With that, he assumed the appearance of Sakura, still chuckling under his breath. He closed his eyes as he said "And you…" Finally, he took the form of Sasuke. "And when I say that I'm you," he slowly opened his eyes, letting the three genin get a good look. "I mean that quite literally."

The fully developed Sharingan had replaced the green eyes.

The looks he got from the three - Sasuke especially - were priceless. Uzumaki's face changed into pure disbelief and moaning, mouthing the words 'Oh, give me a break! We don't need more of that crap!'. Haruno was just plain shocked and at a complete loss. Uchiha himself looked like someone had struck him in the face and spat on him all at once. The said person recovered first. "What the fuck!?" Sasuke said. "You can't copy a bloodline… _much less mine!!"_

Oh… hurt him in the pride, did he? Why didn't he think of that sooner?

"Maybe it is real, maybe it's not," Bakeru said ominously, as though their opinions mattered little to him, which they did. He examined his hands with his new eyes, testing them out. "Quite useful, these eyes are. No wonder my master craves them so." He grinned at the Uchiha and beckoned him again. "And don't think that I'm limited to just your eyes. As you saw, I was able to use Naruto's techniques (Naruto began mouthing off at that) expertly. I could probably even do your most powerful moves if I wanted to."

He heard Uchiha join Uzumaki in shouting various threats and could see the boys' minds working, wondering just how such a thing could be done. Not that Bakeru was about to tell them.

Truth be told, as a shapeshifter, he could take the appearance of anyone or anything. Within reason, of course. He had to keep approximately the same amount of mass as his original form. He could cheat in certain ways, such as making his limbs thinner to make them longer, not that such a thing was easily noticed. The same could be done with his tongue. He also had to keep a solid form, as he was unable to become liquid or a gas. His molecular structure wouldn't be able to hold itself together in that case and it was problematic enough as it was now.

While he could take any appearance he chose, doing so was no more effective than a henge. He was still limited to the capabilities of his original form, which was more than enough to pass as a civilian, but not for a shinobi. To truly mimic a person, to be able to accurately become that person in appearance, skill, mannerisms, and personality so that he could deceive even their closest friends and relatives, he needed two essential requirements. Or as he called them, ingredients.

Blood.

That was the first ingredient. Blood contained a person's genetic code: the DNA. The complete blueprints of a person's physical composition. Every individual was unique in some way. Some were naturally faster, while others had more stamina, and still others were stronger than their peers. And all this was stored in their DNA. All he required was a small amount of the person's blood. His own DNA structure was designed to absorb and assimilate another's blood into his own through his left arm. That feat had been exceptionally difficult during the experimentation, but it did eventually become a reality.

Memory.

That was the second ingredient. Physically becoming another was a great way to fool another, but it was only half of the equation. Physical characteristics alone were not enough to know the internal matters of a person. How they acted, their mannerisms, the way they spoke, and other such details, the things that would not come from DNA. To do that, he needed access to something that was intangible: The person's mind. Their memories. The very core of their being. How to access the mind had been just as challenging as it had been to assimilate a person's blood, but they did eventually succeed at that as well.

The answer came in the form of the kinjutsu Sentakushi Nou Sakujo. While that technique only affected a small portion of the victim's mind, it did solve the crucial part on how to enter a person's mind and bend it to your will. It took about seven months of tinkering - and the complete sanity of six unfortunate 'volunteers' - but they were able to modify the Sentakushi Nou Sakujo to suit his needs. With his right hand, he could force a person to relive all their memories like a movie. During this process, both victim and himself would see the person's entire lifespan literally flash before their eyes and then all that memory would imprint itself in Bakeru's mind. A rather painful feat, considering how much information was obtained in a split second. There was also the fact that he couldn't forget or erase the memories he retrieved. Those memories would constantly flow through his mind and he would see all the annoying little details of their lives. That would drive the undisciplined mind crazy with just one person's memories, and if done too many times, drive even him insane. As such, he didn't use this ability unless it was absolutely necessary. Including these three, it made four times total. He doubted that even his master, no matter how advantageous this ability was, would be able to handle more than five life memories before he went mad.

As for the victims themselves, since it was human nature to recall bad memories more prominently than any other type, after experiencing all their memories in one go, they would be reliving the worst moments of their lives for the next day or so at least. Naturally, due to the fact that the victim was also experiencing this process, that meant they could fight back and interrupt it since it didn't paralyze them in any way. So to make sure that no one on Team 7 would hinder him during the process, he drugged their drinks. If he could have drugged Hatake as well, he wouldn't be in this mess now. He tried to do that by getting the man to participate in the drinking contest, but he refused. Not wanting to push his luck and give himself away, he abandoned that idea.

The memories were also the secret on how well he was able to recreate Naruto's - and the other two's as well - jutsu as accurately as he could. All he had to do was view the memories on the creations of them to learn exactly what he needed to do. Uzumaki, being the experimental type, already experienced all the dos and don'ts of his jutsu, allowing him to copy them.

Bakeru looked over the genin as he spread his arms in a mocking gesture of surrender and defeat. "What's wrong? Don't believe me? Is this form too hard on your eyes?" He shrugged. "How's this?"

The form of Sasuke shrunk a few centimeters as his hair receded, leaving a smaller version of Uzumaki's hairstyle. His muscle span increased slightly, while his clothes became jet black in the way of a long-sleeved shirt and thick pants. The sandals themselves changed as well into combat boots. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke watched in silence, while noticing the freak's face especially. It was like when they blinked, they saw a completely different face, except it was the same. After a moment of looking, they understood why.

The freak had taken all three of their images and mixed them together, making a rather handsome boy around their age. "Better?" he asked them, laughing softly.

"He's… got my hair…" Naruto said in spite himself. Even though it was the wrong color, it was the right style.

"And my eyes still…" Sasuke commented angrily, his mind formulating on how to handle the situation.

Sakura couldn't help but ask. "What about me?"

"Your large forehead," came the answer.

"_**I'LL KILL YOU!!**_"

Both boys grabbed Sakura and attempted to restrain her from jumping their enemy, while she was yelling 'Let me at 'im!' over and over, while Bakeru calmly chuckled under his breath. Amazing how the smallest things could set people off.

As Naruto and Sasuke attempted to calm Sakura down, they wondered why this freak was doing all of this. Why was he constantly assuming different forms of them and even making a new one altogether? "Come on, Sakura-chan," Naruto pleaded as they held on. "It's not that bad..."

Bakeru snorted. "What would you know about girls? You're still in denial about that kiss you had with the Hyuuga Heiress."

All three stopped in their tracks, while Naruto's face turned a shade of red that would have put Hinata's blushes to shame. "Oh _come on! DOES _EVERYONE _KNOW ABOUT THAT!?"_

Inside the ship, Makino answered while snickering under his breath and glancing at the camera. "They do now. Tell me you got his face on camera!"

Naruto looked to see that Sakura and even Sasuke were snickering under their breath. "STOP THAT!"

That's when he noticed the black-clothed freak right in front of him. Bakeru's fist slammed right into Uzumaki's stomach and sent him flying back. Almost simultaneously, he swung his leg around and kicked Sakura aside, while his other hand hit Uchiha's face. "Pay attention, brats," the shapeshifter called out mockingly. "Don't get _distracted."_

Naruto rubbed his stomach as he and the other two got up. Now that was low! Using his personal memories and experiences against them! This guy had some serious payback coming. Sasuke and Sakura stood up as well, while Sasuke wiped his face with his hand. "Sakura. Stay back. The asshole and I will handle him."

"Excuse me?" Sakura asked, both angry and annoyed. "Lest you forget the person who actually _hit_ him and - "

"The teme is right, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, as both Sasuke and himself readied themselves, while the girl's jaw dropped as she looked at him in disbelief. Both remembered how brutally beaten she had been against that big Yuki-nin Mizore and they weren't eager to put her in that sort of situation again. It was better this way. Especially since they knew for a fact that this freak wasn't Orochimaru.

The shapeshifter took a stance that vaguely resembled Rock Lee's. "Come, children…" he beckoned them. "Let's see how well you handle fighting your own shadow."

**

* * *

(Author's Note)** And so ends part 1 of Bakeru's fight with Team 7. Originally, I was aiming to get it all in one chapter, but to make things easier (and preserve my sanity), I decided to break it up into two chapters. So how was this chapter? I admit I don't think it went as smoothly and it seemed a lot harder for me than previous chapters, but maybe I'm overreacting slightly.

Speaking of Bakeru, you'll see that I showed just how extensively his ability to shapeshift really is. Story reasons are explained above.

My personal reason for doing this?

It wouldn't be any fun if Bakeru _couldn't_ perfectly copy Naruto and the others. I mean… if all Sakura and Sasuke had to do to figure out which Naruto was real and which was fake was to have them both do the Kaze Kiwa and one could and one couldn't… what fun would that be? So I decided to allow Bakeru the means to almost perfectly mimic the trio via the usage of blood and memory. As far as I'm concerned, that's all I needed for him to copy them. And since I was going this route, I figured what the hell, and allowed him to get the Sharingan as well. It's a bloodline and he had a sample of blood to use. Made sense to me.

Admittedly, while my goal was for Bakeru to be able to perfectly copy them and completely fool others, I don't think the scene with Bakeru/Naruto and Sasuke came out as well as it should. That was the main reasoning why Sasuke didn't notice the imposter like several reviewers thought he would, along with the facts that he was angry so he wasn't thinking straight and Naruto's secrets. He was supposed to be completely fooled, but I'm not sure I pulled it off adequately. Oh well… I tried. That's all I can say.

To ArmorOfGeddon and any others wondering why Orochimaru doesn't use Bakeru as his host body, I assure you I have a reason for that. I just didn't get to it this chapter. I plan to for next chapter, so just be patient a little while longer. Fair enough?

And in case anyone is wondering when we'll actually get to the Snow Country and back to the main storyline, I still have a few things to do for this Boat Ride Arc after this fight with Bakeru, so it shouldn't be too much longer. I estimate about more four chapters, give or take.

**Sentakushi Nou Sakujo--**_Selective Memory Eraser/_Does as its name suggests. It can erase anywhere from a few selective up to a person's an entire mind. Most times, this jutsu is used on captured enemy shinobi to turn them to the captor's side or to erase a person's memory of a specific time or event. The problem with the jutsu is that if not used properly, in terms of application and distribution, it can just as easily backfire on the user; at worst, turning the user into a vegetable for life. (Upper A-Class Kinjutsu.) Original technique created by Tellemicus

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to paintball-gamer for beta reading this!_


	12. Fighting One's Shadow

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version!

_Chapter 12 - Fighting One's Shadow_

**(Author's Note) **To xds and Alexander the cleverest – as well as any others would like to share ideas for this story, I'll see if I can use your ideas (giving credit where credit is due, of course), but no promises. Thank you for sharing your ideas, if nothing else.

Big thanks to both Paintball-gamer and Tellemicus Sundance, both of whom's opinions helped make this chapter better than what I had originally.

**10:31 am**

A soft, gentle breeze blew across the nearly deserted deck. The clouds were still heavy, allowing only a glimpse of sunlight every now and then. A small crackle was heard next, hinting that rain may soon be coming. To the four individuals on the deck, such things were beneath their notice. To the one side stood a short blond-haired boy in black and orange with one eye firmly closed, a slightly taller raven-haired boy in blue and white with scars over one of his eyes, and a girl with pink hair in red in between them, her green eyes focused sharply on the man across the deck, as well as her two teammates.

The man - if that term could truly be applied to him – stood across from them, a strange mixture of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all rolled into one. It was his way of creating a new opponent for them, as well as throwing them off balance mentally through the use of their own 'images' fighting them. Or parts of them anyway, but it was apparent that this form still had an effect of the three. He knew that taking their individual identities was all but useless now. Very well, then. If identical appearances weren't truly effective enough to unnerve them, then perhaps a mental one would suffice.

About a minute passed, but not one person moved. Everyone was waiting for the other person to make the first move, not wanting to be the one to do it as it would leave them open. Another minute came to pass and no change. Something had to give and get the ball rolling.

And that's when Makino yelled "ACTION!"

As if by reflex, all three genin turned around, red-faced, and shouted "DON'T YOU _DARE - "_

They were interrupted as the shapeshifter moved amongst them and knocked them all about again, while Kajio grabbed his face in terror as he looked at the director. "YOU JUST GAVE THE BAD GUY THE OPENING!!"

"Something needed to happen," Makino said calmly, though a small grin was emerging on his face as he watched the boys engage the enemy, while Sakura hung back. He wanted to see what this guy could do on the offensive. So far, that guy had just been on the defensive. And there was a difference from being on the defense as opposed to the offense. Oh yes… this was going to be good!

On the deck of the ship, Sasuke recovered first from the attack as he dashed towards the mixed freak, throwing out a right punch as he used a left outward block to stop the freak's own right punch. Both then jumped back from each other and tossed a kunai, the knives colliding in mid-air a fraction of a second later.

Wait a second…

Currently, Sasuke's right foot was forward, with his right hand up by his face and his left hovering by his stomach. And the shapeshifter had the exact same position. Frowning to himself, Sasuke pivoted his right foot slightly the side.

As did the freak's own right foot.

Sasuke made an angry 'hmph' at the sight as the two took off towards each other, left kicks intercepting, following by throwing quick left and right punches. Both then took a step forward and tried to uppercut, only to have both of them dodge by leaning back, followed quickly by roundhouse kicks.

Okay… this was seriously getting on Sasuke's nerves as their two kicks collided. This freak only seemed interested in copying and reacting instead of acting. Fine. If that was the way this freak wanted to play it, then Sasuke would just have to break the mirror first. He still had his Sharingan on, while this freak didn't. That would give him the opening he needed.

Using it to stay a step of ahead of the shapeshifter, Sasuke's right hand managed to grab the freak's leg and spin him around before the enemy could copy the maneuver. _That was easy enough,_ Sasuke thought, now having the opponent's back to him.

"Remember the time you wet your bed, Uchiha, at age eleven?"

Sasuke flinched while his face went red slightly. How the hell did this freak know that!? The outburst made Sasuke pause for a short moment, but it was enough for Bakeru. Bracing himself from the spin, he slammed the back of his head to Sasuke's face, followed by two quick elbows to the Uchiha's diaphragm, making the Uchiha step back in pain. Seeing what the freak had been doing earlier with Sasuke, Naruto came in with six Kage Bunshins on his heels, not willing to give the freak a chance to pull that stunt with a one-on-one fight.

In response, the Oboro sprang to life around the shapeshifter. The first two clones were destroyed with the shapeshifter's fists. He then grabbed the next two and threw them at the last two. Unfortunately, that left him open to a kick to his jaw, causing him to stumble backwards. By this time, Sasuke recovered from his crushed diaphragm, and the two boys took off from two different directions towards him, each one preparing a jutsu. There was a Faiatama in Sasuke's hand, while Naruto crossed his fingers again. Covering his teammate, Sasuke threw the fireball at the shapeshifter, which he knocked aside with his hand. That allowed Naruto the time he needed as ten more of him rained down on him.

_This is bad,_ Bakeru thought as he fought back. With both at once, he wouldn't be able to handle them by using their own moves against them. And with the clones, that only – he lost his train of thought as he felt a solid uppercut connect with his stomach. He instinctively held his abdomen as he kneeled over, gasping in pain. His face then meet two fierce punches at once (one from each boy), which sent him rolling across the ground. Placing his hands on the ground, he managed to recover with a handspring back onto his feet. So be it. He deactivated the Oboro and activated the Uchiha's bloodline and the Sharingan came to life in his eyes.

Immediately, he felt a sharp jolt of pain in his eyes and head, causing him to jerk his eyes closed and shriek. To which he felt a kick to his chest, sending him crashing down to the deck again. Right… he was only a _third_ Uchiha at the moment. Uzumaki and Haruno's DNA were incompatible with the Sharingan. Cursing himself for failing to anticipate that, he got up once again, just in time to see Uchiha come straight at him, enduring the mental pain he was experiencing in order to keep the bloodline active.

He blocked Uchiha's series of punches, his Sharingan allowing him to keep up with Uchiha's. Uchiha then managed to get a kick to the side of Bakeru's face. To Sasuke's shock, Bakeru's entire upper body spun around, while his lower half hadn't moved an inch! While this happened, his entire right hand bulged out, resembling a cinder block. With the momentum of the spin, he thrust his arm right at Sasuke (whose face was bright red and bursting with anger), who barely had time to cross his arms to block. The sheer power of the blow sent Sasuke flying into the air, while several Narutos converged on Bakeru. Using the Sharingan, he punched the first bunshin, backflipped over the next one and kicked that one into another, only to feel a sharp kick to his back.

Giving a small yell of pain, Bakeru changed his left arm into a blade. "How's the arachnophobia coming along? Any more crawl into your ramen?"

"SHUT UP!!" all the Narutos yelled.

He wasn't afraid of spiders! He just had a particularly nasty experience with one. A big one crawled into one of his bowls of ramen when he was nine and he accidently put it in his mouth before he could feel it moving inside. The result was a very loud shout, some very messy ramen remains on the table and nearly an hour of brushing before he felt the taste was finally out of his mouth. But that did not mean he had arachnophobia!

Bakeru brought a diagonal slash across the Naruto who kicked him, making it poof out of existence. While that happened, two other Narutos had jumped up and caught Sasuke by the arms. The two Narutos drew their arms back and launched Uchiha like a missile right back at the shapeshifter.

Bakeru, who had just finished off the last Kage Bunshin, turned just in time to meet Sasuke's fist squarely in the face. Bakeru went rolling across the deck and crashed into several crates. Sasuke smirked to himself. Yes, that had been quite satisfying!

"Katon: Kaki Fannerufuro!"

A burst of fire blew out from the rubble and Sasuke saw that it was growing wider and wider, as opposed to streaking forward like the techniques he used. Then he understood why: the attack was meant to catch the ship on fire, as much as to attack them. The freak was trying to force them to protect the ship from being burned, leaving themselves open and vulnerable. Cursing silently, he formed the seals for the Goukakyuu. "Naruto!" he shouted as he finished the seal and blew out the grand fireball.

Sasuke's fire slammed directly into the center of Bakeru's attack, holding back the majority of fire. Almost at once, both fighters poured more chakra into their attacks, strengthening their respective flames considerably. Neither fighter was willing to back down.

Sasuke's effort allowed Naruto the time to create another score of clones and to run through the twenty-eight seal sequence. "Suiton: Tajuu Suiryuudan!" all twelve cried out.

Twelve water dragons erupted from the ocean, six of which broke off and headed toward the parts of the ship that had already caught fire, extinguishing them. The other half streaked towards the colliding fire, slamming into it and dousing it completely as they surged towards the shapeshifter.

Seeing an opening, Sakura took off running toward their opponent, much to the boy's dismay. "Dammit, Sakura, we told you to stay back!" the Narutos yelled, calling off the water dragons in fear of hitting her as they took off after her as well.

Sakura attempted a punch, noticing that the freak's fingers on his right had changed into blades. "Do you also remember those night terrors you had when you were six?" He asked as he slashed his hand downward, only to meet a Naruto clone taking the hit, disappearing in an instant. Two others grabbed her by the arms and dragged her off. "Naruto!" Sakura shouted angrily (and mentally hoping that no one had heard that, so did not want to remember _that day_. Damn, how did he know these things!?) as the others engaged the enemy. "Get your hands off of – "

"You're in the way," Sasuke interrupted her, making his way through the remaining clones. He dropped down and sent a fierce kick to the freak's chin, launching him into the air. The shapeshifter quickly regained his composure, keeping his eyes on Sasuke. He had no intention of being caught in that stupid Shishi Rendan.

And that's when he was caught in an arm lock, thanks to Naruto. "Heh heh, got you now, bastard."

"Have you now?" To Naruto's disgust and amazement, a pair of eyes and a mouth appeared in the _back_ of the head. Okay… that was just wrong! Then he noticed the mouth open and the tongue itself shift into a kunai blade. _That's not good,_ he noted as the kunai/tongue/thing shot out towards his face.

In response, Naruto opened his own mouth and clamped down on the thing. Fighting off a nasty mental image, he jerked his head to the side, stretching the thing as far as he could.

"GAAAHH!!" Bakeru shouted, his face filled with sharp pain as his tongue stretched further than he intended. As he quickly tried to adjust the length, Uchiha appeared in front of him, launching a series of punches and kicks as gravity lowered all three back to the deck below. Once they were about halfway down, Sasuke put his hands on Bakeru's legs and thrust himself down onto the deck. Once Sasuke landed, Naruto released his arm lock and brought his hands together in a double fist. With one powerful bash, he sent the freak flying downward towards Sasuke. The other boy readied himself and as soon as Bakeru was closer, he shot his fist upward, striking him hard in the back. The shapeshifter let off a silent cry, his voice not working due to the pain in his back. Sasuke then gave a small jump and delivered a devastating right kick to Bakeru's face, sending him skidding across the ground into the side of the ship as Naruto landed.

The body began changing again. The arms grew slightly longer and all four limbs became muscular and… hairy? As Sasuke looked on, he saw a tail appear, and bright orange hair began covering the entire body. The face changed as well, becoming rounder, and sharp teeth appeared in the mouth.

A tiger.

"Wonderful!" Makino cheered from his spot, his hands waving in the air, hitting Kajio on the head several times in eagerness (much to his assistant director's dismay). "Tell me you got that on camera!"

The tiger let out a roar as it sprang toward the two boys, both of whom were barely able to avoid the springing cat, who left claw marks across their shirts as it passed by, thankfully missing the flesh underneath. The tiger landed and recoiled on the deck, leaping towards the boys once again. This time, both Sasuke and Naruto were more ready and avoided the makeshift tiger with plenty of time. This time, however, the tiger kept on going, not turning back. It only took a split second to realize why before they ran after it: Bakeru was now targeting the third member of the team, Sakura.

The girl herself was more than ready, sick and tired of her teammates' actions, treating her like she was about to break. She quickly brought forth a kunai in one hand and a series of shuriken in the other, which she threw a second later at the tiger. As she expected, the tiger jumped over the shuriken and she took off towards it, ready to bury that kunai into the thing's face or chest (she wasn't picky) before it had a chance to recover or change its form again.

That's when she felt a surging wind hit her, flinging her across the deck. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasuke delivering a fierce kick to the tiger's neck. The thing roared, from the sounds of it mostly out of irritation than actual pain, as it landed back down on the deck, already changing, while the two boys got in front of her. Again. And Sakura was ready to beat their heads in. They just had to keep butting in! "Will you two _stop_ interfering and let me – "

"Get in the way again?" Naruto supplied, keeping his back to her so he could keep his eye on the opponent. Not that Sakura thought that. She just thought that he was ignoring her on purpose. "Sakura-chan, you need to keep out of this. You're not helping any."

Inner Sakura roared. _**Trying saying that to my face, asshole!**_

"Did you even consider where you were throwing those shuriken?" Naruto continued, oblivious to the fact that Mount Sakura was about to erupt.

"All I did was throw them at – "

" – at us," Sasuke finished.

"At _you!?_" Sakura repeated. How dare he even suggest that! Okay, she may be the weakest out of the three of them, but she wasn't a complete novice anymore! It's not like she would have made such a stupid mistake. The freak tiger had bounced off the deck and gone right past them, straight at her. So she threw her shuriken at him, with the two boys behind him…

… behind him…

Wait… if both Naruto and Sasuke were behind him when she threw the shuriken… then when the shapeshifter jumped… those shuriken would have kept right on going… right toward the boys…

She shook her head, confusion and uncertainty now swelling into her brain. Did she make a mistake? Did she seriously make a miscalculation that would have endangered her teammates? But what should she worry about? It's not like a few shuriken would have hurt, or even distracted people as skillful as the two boys. Still… the possibility that they could have done so didn't leave her mind.

Were… were the boys right? Was she simply in the way, not able to contribute at all without endangering her own allies?

"Hyouton: Aisu Kaze Kasui no Jutsu!"

Those words – along with Sasuke's strong grip on her wrist – snapped her back to reality as Sasuke jumped to the side, dragging her along, while Naruto dodged the other way. But that wasn't enough as all three felt a wet, bone-chilling wind engulf all three of them. It felt like being caught a bad rainstorm. Shivering badly, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke found themselves moving quite slowly. No matter how fast their minds were yelling at them to get out of the freezing wind, their bodies simply refused to move quickly, concentrating more on hugging themselves for whatever meager means of warmth. Naruto was the first one to have some semblance of resistance, as he brought his hands together to form a series of seals. That's when he noticed the freak's Uma seal change into a Hitsuji one.

Several small ice shards began forming in the wind as a result, forcing Naruto's numb body to work that much faster. The blowing wind then shot the created ice fragments forward at an impressive speed and despite Naruto's efforts, they managed to hit all three genin, cutting them in several places, most on the limbs. Fighting the numbness and stinging of the ice shards, the one-eyed blond shinobi managed to choke out "Ka-kaze… Tate!"

Massive winds erupted from around Naruto's body, gale winds meeting the freezing winds and colliding with extreme force, battling each other for supremacy. The ice shards themselves seemed to be caught in the middle of the raging winds, to the point where they were being blown back and forth between Naruto and Bakeru. When one side increased their power, the other quickly did the same. Items that weren't nailed down (and in some cases, ones that were) began flying from the deck out into the deep blue sea. Crates, ropes, chairs, cameras (much to the trio's delight) and whatever else happened to clutter the deck.

"Are you getting all this? ARE YOU GETTING ALL THIS!?" Makino asked frantically, keeping one hand on his head to keep his hat on while waving the other around like a fan girl, ignoring the cries, panic, and mayhem that were going around the rest of the movie cast as they all tried to keep their possessions from flying off. "This is absolutely, positively, undeniably beautiful!"

A loud WHOOSH!! sound was heard next, revealing a winner in the wind struggle.

Naruto.

The force of Naruto's Kaze Tate overcame and enveloped Bakeru's Aisu Kaze Kasui. The fierce winds made a mad dash towards the shapeshifter, the ice shards in tow. Breathing hard, Bakeru was unable to move, only able to cross his arms in front of him and harden his body as much as he could in the seconds to come. It wasn't enough, apparently, as his own ice shards began slicing his body as they had done with his opponents only moments ago. The wind hit him a millisecond later. Tried as he might, he was unable to keep his footing against the wind and was flung backwards.

Right into the fist of Uchiha Sasuke, who had used the dueling winds as an opportunity to reposition himself accordingly. Not willing to let the freak recover, he quickly followed up with a brutal series of attacks: an uppercut to the chin, a side kick to the stomach, three punches straight in the face, and an elbow to the throat, finished off by grabbing an arm and a leg and hurling the shapeshifter away.

Right into Naruto's kick. The black and orange clad ninja then placed a hand on the freak's chest and shoved him to the ground on its back. With Naruto practically sitting on top of him, Bakeru's options were few as Naruto quickly took out a kunai, fully prepared to bury it into the freak's neck.

"Naruto-kun!"

Against his will, Naruto froze on the spot, unable to help himself. The one he had pinned on deck was no longer the collage of Team 7, but rather the Hyuuga heiress, her face petrified, with a look of disbelief, pleading, and betrayal on it. The worst part had to be the tears streaking down from her face.

Before Naruto could react in anyway, 'Hinata' grinned evilly as 'her' palm struck him soundly in the chest. It wasn't as hard of a hit as it could have been, but it still sent him rolling across the ground. 'Hinata' looked back and managed to roll away, just missing Sasuke's own kunai strike where 'her' head had been.

"Kuso!!" a very irritable Sasuke shouted, as Bakeru changed his form again back to the mixture of the three. His right arm stretched out, turning into a serpent and wrapping itself around Sasuke's arm up to his neck.

Before the snake had a chance to bite, Sasuke's other hand lashed out and caught the thing, clamping its mouth shut. Yanking his wrapped up arm downward, he slammed the arm/snake/thing on his upcoming knee. The freak screamed in pain again as its grip loosened, enough for Sasuke to get his own firm grab on the arm. He then spun around and around, going faster and faster and faster, while the freak dangled in the air. He then flung Bakeru headfirst right back into the already cracked main mast of the ship, damaging it further.

As for Sasuke, he opted to return to where his two teammates were and shot a dark look at Naruto. "What the hell happened? Why did you freeze up like that and not kill the damn thing when you had the chance!? Arachnophobic idiot."

"Oh, shut up, bed wetter," Naruto retorted, his eye looking at the Uchiha. Though truth be told, would he have been able to carry out the strike? He shook his head, pushing the thought away as Sakura looked at him. "You alright?"

"Of course he's alri – " Sasuke started

"Yes," Naruto interrupted, looking at his female teammate. The word then sank into him as he looked down at his own chest. "Yes… I am…"

"So what?" Sasuke asked. All the freak had done was palm-strike Naruto in the chest. That sort of blow wouldn't hurt that much.

Sakura looked at him, then nodded to herself. "Right… Kakashi took you away for treatment, so you didn't see Neji and Hinata fight. The Hyuuga fight with a taijutsu style called Jyuuken. It allows them to send surges of chakra directly into the opponent's body, hitting the organs themselves. The smallest touch is enough to do that and full force blows can be a lethal hit."

Sasuke nodded slowly, his mind processing the information. So then… because the freak was using Hinata's form, it should have utilized this Jyuuken stuff, so that palm strike to Naruto's chest should have inflicted major damage to the dobe's heart. Since it didn't, there was only one conclusion.

The freak didn't have the Hyuuga Bloodline running through its veins, like it did his.

So did that mean the freak only had _his_ bloodline copied? Just how unfair was that!? Sasuke mentally wished he had laid waste to the freak more when he had the opportunity.

As for the said person, he was currently breathing hard on the deck, using the opportunity to try and regain his breath. This wasn't going well. He was tiring out faster than they were. That shouldn't have been a surprise, in all honesty. He was a spy, not a fighter, much less a shinobi. Sure, he had been trained by his master to use the shinobi arts and had managed to obtain the skills equal to a low Jounin during the time when he had been… changed. His new body and abilities had been most helpful for him to learn the new trade. Not that it was helping him win this fight.

Perhaps that was what angered him the most right now. All his preparations, all his tricks, all his plans seemed to be ineffective. He had taken the memories and blood of the three Genin so that he could break the bonds between them by impersonating them, right under the copy nin's nose so that not even he could tell if one of his students was acting strangely. Then Kakashi was killed by a simple avalanche (a thought that amused him to no end), making it unneeded for him to go the lengths of gathering all three. One would have been enough without Kakashi around. The memories themselves were a great asset to him when fighting these three one on one, but with two or more, they were useless. Even the taunts he had used didn't work to the effect he wanted them. Sure, it made them flustered and angry, but they didn't make them so angry that they attacked in haste, allowing anger to cloud their judgment and make them sloppy in their fighting and thus easier to defeat.

So what should he do now? He wouldn't be able to win. One on one, he might, but not with more. He was almost spent and he guessed that the boys still had about half of their stamina. Retreat? His disguise on the ship had not yet been discovered. He could fall back and try again later, using more subtle means. The trio would be more on guard now, but that was hardly a risk. While that may have been the smarter option, the sense of pride he was feeling wouldn't allow him to do that just yet. _Alright,_ he thought to himself, deactivating the Sharingan in his eyes. He could no longer afford to use it. Taking one last deep breath, he slowly climbed to his feet.

If he couldn't win… then he would have to stall Haruno and Uzumaki long enough for him to grab Uchiha and flee. He had already made such arrangements for a speedy getaway, so that wouldn't be a problem.

All three genin noticed that he was getting up, and, to their annoyance, the body began changing again. His limbs grew out a little more, becoming more muscular as well, with silver hair shooting forth from his head. Blue clothes and a green vest appeared next, followed by a mask covering the lower half of the face. At that point, all three of them realized what he was changing into and could hardly believe it themselves.

He had just become Kakashi.

'Kakashi' looked at them and gave that smile with his eye. "Hello there! Sorry I'm late, but I got lost on the road of life."

"YOU LIAR!!" Naruto, Sakura, and even Sasuke shouted in spite themselves. After coming to their senses, Naruto pointed at the fake. "Cut the bullshit so we can get back to…"

"Want to see under the mask?"

They froze for a moment. Could he really show them what was underneath the mask? He had copied them perfectly so far and even knew personal things about them. It just might be possible for him to…

Without waiting for an answer, the man's hand reached towards the mask and began pulling it down as he walked forward to them. Ever the camera crew was focusing in on the mask as they too watched eagerly as to what would the long await answer would be. The hand reached to the mask and slowly began pulling it down.

Revealing a white surface that looked like a piece of paper, saying: Sorry, even _I _don't know.

Everyone face-vaulted at the sight, so hard that the entire boat rocked.

Reassuming the mask, 'Kakashi' kicked Sakura, sending her away into a wall. He then slammed his fists down on the boy's stomachs, making them gasp in pain. He then slammed them together and threw them both aside. Both boys managed to recover as they mentally berated themselves for falling for such a stunt. The two of them rushed him, while the freak attempted to chop downward. Sasuke caught the hand, while Naruto placed his hands on Sasuke's shoulders and flipped over the other boy, landing a kick on the freak's chest. In response, Bakeru used his other hand and grabbed a handful of the boy's jacket. He yanked the boy towards him as a thin line appeared in the mask. It then split like a mouth, revealing lots of sharp white teeth inside. These teeth then sank down into the boy's left shoulder.

"AAAAHHHH!!" Naruto screamed in pain, red chakra threatening to explode again. "Bastard!!" Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he slammed both fists on the side of the freak's face, smashing Bakeru/Kakashi's face good. Seriously, what kind of person _bit_ their enemy?! Sasuke then dropped and sweep-kicked the freak off his feet. As he fell, Bakeru slid his right arm across his body, repositioning it in the middle of his back to break his fall. Using that one arm to support him, he used both his legs to kick the two boys away. Bakeru's head jerked forward and spat out a yellowish slime, just missing the two boys. Naruto considered turning to see what had happened, trying to ignore the pain in his shoulder, then shook his head. Nah… it couldn't have been the same thing… could it?

"Puking now?" Sasuke asked, amused with himself. Grunting, Bakeru wiped the rest of the stuff off, making Naruto wonder if the freak really did just lose his lunch. At least it didn't land on him.

They watched as Bakeru's arm moved back to its proper position as he formed several seals, five in all. Once he finished, nothing seemed to happen, making Naruto wonder what kind of jutsu it was. Something that didn't take immediate effect? A genjutsu? A charge for something? What?

The shapeshifter took off running at them. He reached out his right hand and the fingers flew forward, narrowly missing the two of them. He swept his fingers at Naruto, while aiming a kick at Sasuke, which he caught and shoved upward, hoping to catch the thing off balance. To his disgust, he saw the legs shift into arms and vice versa. Seeing the freak standing upright (ignoring that his torso and face were in the wrong places) in Kakashi's form was definitely one of the strangest, if not _the _strangest thing Naruto had seen. Next, the freak opened its masked mouth, launching a yellow energy ball, which Sasuke dodged. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that blast hit a portion of the wall. Instead of exploding, it did absolutely nothing. Just what was it, a dud?

Bakeru then changed targets, going after Naruto in his misplaced Kakashi body. "Do you know how ridiculous you look? Though I would love to see you try and use a toilet."

Bakeru's eyes flashed with anger as he turned around, sprouting some sort of tail with the end changing into a hardened ball, which swung right at Naruto. Naruto managed to catch the ball in his hands, grinning. It was time for some bloody payback for that stunt the freak pulled earlier! And since the freak was using Kakashi's body, he knew the perfect way to do it, too!

Getting a firm grip on the tail/ball, he yanked it towards himself, making the shapeshifter spin slightly. Before it could rearrange itself to counterattack, Naruto leapt forward.

"Konohagakure Furui Taijutsu no Ougi: Sennen Goroshi!"

Out of both reflex and a small chakra burst, Bakeru let out a loud scream as it flew forwards at a surprisingly fast speed, firing another one of those charged balls at him, which the blond easily sidestepped. Oh yes… that felt good! Payback was so sweet! Even if it wasn't really Kakashi, it was the next best thing!

Bakeru landed about a good ten meters away, it glanced back and opened his mouth again as he repositioned his limbs in the correct places, releasing yet another charged ball at Naruto. Unlike the previous one, this one seemed deliberately off target, since Naruto didn't even have to move to avoid it. Now why would his aim suck so bad this time around?

Unless…

Jerking his head back, he saw that the charged ball was heading directly for Sakura, who seemed unable to move. "Dammit! Move, Sakura!"

"I can't!" she said, gesturing downward, and Naruto saw that her feet were covered in that yellow slime from earlier. So it _was_ the Gama Suraimu after all. But how was that possible? Did the freak already know how to perform this jutsu?! Because he hadn't fully figured it out how to use it yet! He had only worked on it once so far, and no one had bothered him… except…

He was jerked out of his train of thought as he saw the light ball strike Sakura straight in the chest. He opened his mouth to cry out… only to see that no apparent damage had been done. No electrocution, no boom, no anything except that she was glowing. A golden glow that seemed to fade in and out of existence. That's when he noticed the portion of the wall and a crate began glowing as well… the same things that the other balls had struck. They seemed to be resonating in and out with Sakura. Glancing around, he could see Sasuke with the same puzzled expression. Glancing further, he saw that the freak was halfway through another series of seals. "Sasuke!" Naruto shouted to the other boy, who was closer.

Too late. "Shuurai!" ("That's mine, bastard!") A familiar lightning bolt flew forth from the thing's mouth. It missed Sasuke by a hair and continued on to the wall where the ball of light had struck earlier, as if attracted to it. It slammed into the wall, causing an explosion. Then, to both of the boy's disbelief, the blast seemed to ricochet, heading towards the crate, and the blast was bigger than it had been before.

BOOM!!

The crate was incinerated, and Naruto was beginning to understand how the thing worked. Those light balls were like charges of lightning energy, as well as magnetic. It attracted Raiton attacks towards them, causing an explosion, while at the same time adding power to the lightning attack as it homed in on the next target and then the… uh oh…

The now already overpowered blast was enhanced again as it streaked towards Sakura. That glow about her was more binding than the slime was.

Naruto was quickly trying to create the strongest Kaze Kiwa he could, but Sasuke – to no one's surprise – was already in front of her as the lightning strike collided with him. A massive blinding light came next, along with a deafening roar.

"Sasuke!!" several people yelled as Naruto brought up his hands to cover his good eye against the blinding light. Then he felt some sort of shove, causing him to hit the wall. An aftershock of the blast? As his senses slowly came back, he heard what sounded like bird sounds. Lots of them. Slowly opening his eye, he saw Sasuke, still in the same position as he had been. As he came into focus, Naruto saw that his left arm was extended, and the bird sounds were more prominent.

Naruto felt himself grin. The teme had used the Chidori in record time to block and cancel out the strike. Naruto felt he should have known not to worry. Then he noticed Sasuke's face. It was twitching slightly, like he was barely holding back the urge to yell out in pain, and as the Chidori powered down, Naruto saw why. His entire hand, as well a portion of his arm, was burnt red. Apparently, Sasuke's Chidori hadn't been equal to that lightning blast. If Sakura had been caught in that…

He watched as Sasuke cradled his arm with his good one as the freak – still in the form of Kakashi – came on top of him. One hand grabbed both of Sasuke's arms, the other closed on his throat as he was violently shoved against the wall.

Naruto immediately tried to run over, but noticed his own predicament. Shit! He had been slimed on his chest to the wall. Must have been that shove he felt during the Raiton clash. Oh… he hoped none of those guys he had slimed earlier were seeing this! He tried bringing his arms together, but only managed to get them halfway. Not good enough!

Sasuke struggled in Bakeru's grip, as the shapeshifter smiled, though his breathing was hard. "You see?" it asked, still using Kakashi's voice, but the tone carried a darker weight. "This is the power that Orochimaru-sama can give you, Uchiha. It's been three on one and you can't beat me. Oh, you came close, I admit that, but I am the one who has prevailed. If you had come with me, we could have defeated the other two easily and been on our way."

"Shut up…" Sasuke retorted, only to be cut off by Bakeru tightening his grip, resulting in Sasuke letting out a small shout of pain. Gritting his teeth, Naruto swore again at being caught in his own technique. There had to be a way… well… he could do that… it was the only idea he had in mind, even if he didn't like it, but he couldn't think of anything else! His right hand started to form the seals, only to see that the freak was changing yet again.

He grew slightly shorter, his black hair laying down flat. A large black cloak began covering him, decorated with red clouds. A leaf headband appeared, with a slash through the center of it. His eyes flashed red. All three genin froze at the sight, even Sakura, though she understood least of all. Even the movie cast inside the boat seemed to go deathly quiet (though in Makino's case, he only lost his grin. The good guys weren't supposed to lose here, damn it! Come on, kids, get your act together!)

The form of Uchiha Itachi leaned in close to Sasuke, who seemed paralyzed with anger. "Foolish otouto," the voice said, a perfect imitation of Itachi's cold and bleak voice (courtesy of Sasuke's memories). "You seriously think that you will gain the strength needed to kill me?" The Sharingan flashed to life in his eyes, gazing into Sasuke's own. "You are weak… and growing weaker… your inability to let go of your own bonds will result in your own death." The eyes seem to narrow as they looked on at the younger boy. "Do you know why you are weak?"

'Itachi' leaned in forward, his mouth right next to Sasuke's ear. "It's because you lack… hatred."

Okay, Naruto was sick of this! Anger fuming within him, he quickly formed the Kaze Kiwa in his right hand (his good side, since it was his left shoulder that hurt like hell!). He then turned it inward on himself, and with an angry yell, he slashed down, cutting through the seam of his jacket. It was a real stretch to get his arm to move that far, but he managed. Ignoring the growing pain in his arm by overextending it, he continued to cut through, while the bastard still kept talking.

"Seek me out. Let your hate consume you and you will grow stronger." 'Itachi' withdrew his head, looking directly at Sasuke. "And I will give you a little insight: the one whom I fear most… is the killer of the Third Hokage."

Sasuke visibly flinched at that remark, while Sakura seemed frozen on the spot, and even Naruto stopped momentarily, until he continued cutting.

"Abandon your bonds," the freak continued, still keeping Itachi's impassive face, though he gave Naruto a look, realizing what he was doing. A small grin appeared on the freak's face. "And acquire the Mangekyou Sharingan. Ki – BLLLLARRGGHH!!"

And that's when a large amount of blood, and possibly other things, erupted from Itachi/Bakeru's mouth, covering Sasuke's face and upper body entirely as Naruto finally finished cutting through his jacket and leapt out, his shirtless form exposed to all, including the camera. Ken looked at the sight and gave a small smile in spite of himself. The blond was quite fit for his age. He imagined that if girls his age saw this sight right now, they would fall heads over heels for him. Assuming they could ignore what else was going on.

Bakeru howled in pain, yelling at the top of his lungs as his whole body began twitching. Though Naruto ran to attack, Sasuke reacted first, breaking free of the thing's weakened grip and delivering a punch with his good arm right to Bakeru's face, the boy's face flaming with rage. Bakeru rolled on the ground and began shaking like mad as his screams increased both in volume and ferocity. Sakura had managed to get out of her slime trap by slipping out of her shoes, though her ankles were quite red and sore from the effort it had taken to pull the slime off her skin.

Bakeru then collapsed on his knees as the three genin watched, still shrieking as he put his hands on his stomach, as if to hold it in. "NO!! NOT NOW!! NOT N-N-NO… BLLLLARRGGHH!!" With that, all his strength seemed to give out as he collapsed on the deck, his face landing in the… area… that he just threw up on. And, Naruto had to admit to himself, it was quite satisfying to see 'Itachi' this way. Take that, Uchiha-teme!

As the three genin watched in silence, Naruto reacted first. "Um… what's happening?"

"_**Who cares…" **_Sasuke's voice answered, the blood still covering his face. Naruto wondered what pissed the Uchiha off worse: the fact that the freak taunted him by using Itachi's form, or that fact that he got vomited on (which smelled quite badly as well). Or hell… knowing Sasuke… it was probably both. The said boy pointed directly at the freak, who no longer had a mouth on his face, making Naruto wonder what would happen if the freak threw up again. The nasty image was cut short with Sasuke's next words. "_**KILL. IT."**_

Bakeru's head jerked upward, sensing his impending doom. He quickly ran through a series of seals that Naruto recognized immediately. "Watch out…!!"

A blinding flash of light hit the area, followed by a thunderous noise. Naruto was able to shut his eye in time, but his hands weren't able to fully protect his ears. And both Sasuke and Sakura (the glow around her had faded out completely) were worse off, taking both effects full blast. Though the movie crew inside the boat wasn't affected. They just saw a small flash of light and a slight ringing could be heard in their ears

"NARUTO!!" Sakura roared, rubbing her closed eyelids. "THIS IS ONE OF YOUR JUTSU, ISN'T IT!?"

Of course, what Naruto heard was 'Naruto' and 'you' and mistook 'is' for 'ass', making it sound like 'Naruto, you ass!!'

"What did I do, hag!?"

He then heard something like a loud splash as the effects began to wear off. Did the freak just jump into the sea!? What was it, a fish? Doubling back on that thought and how it continuously changed bodies, maybe it really was. Slowly opening his eye, he saw the freak nowhere in sight. Maybe it really did jump into the ocean. But why? Shaking his head, he quickly went over to help Sasuke and Sakura recover.

Unfortunately… the two didn't realize that. Thinking that they were being attacked again, they both hit Naruto squarely on both sides of the face. _I tell ya… with friends like these…_

Two minutes later, all three were back to normal. After hearing that the freak had apparently taken to the sea, Sasuke – whose face and upper body were still covered with the blood barfed on him – immediately dashed to the side and leapt overboard, shouting "_**Find him!!"**_

"Sasuke, stop!" Naruto yelled.

"_**KILL!!" **_

Yep… he had lost it. Again. Shrugging to himself, Naruto jumped down after him, followed by a hesitant Sakura a moment later, while the Curse Seal started exploding around Sasuke. The blond boy made several Kage Bunshins, most to start looking for any signs of the squirming shapeshifter, the others to help Sasuke get a grip on himself, while Sakura just stood in silence.

* * *

**In another part of the boat, about ten minutes later**

A sickly, wobbling Bakeru – still in Itach's form – crawled through a small window in the ship. Barely managing to pull himself through, he fell to the ground with a loud thump on the ground, dripping wet.

After performing Uzumaki's Raiden, Bakeru managed to create a single Kage Bunshin. Barely. He suspected that Uzumaki would not be fully affected by his own jutsu, so he had his clone jump off the side of the ship to draw their attention. He knew that it wouldn't last for long, but he only needed a little time to escape. Once the clone had jumped into the ocean, it had dispersed itself immediately, while Bakeru went to the other side of the ship, crawling along the wall as best he could, though he did fall into the ocean quite a few times until he made it to this room.

Now he was in deep trouble. Though he had removed his mouth to prevent himself from howling in pain, he was still twitching and rolling around in pain. He looked around to see that he had ended up in the place he hoped for.

The bathroom.

Unfortunately, no one was in it at the moment. Definitely not good news for him!

That's when he heard several moaning noises, then the sound of the door slowly opening. He quickly shifted back into his original form as he struggled to get on his feet. He had to act quickly or he was done for!

A man slowly walked in, only to stop and freeze on the spot as his eyes shot wide open and his jaw fell.

He saw some sort of… monster was the best word for it. It was roughly six feet tall and very lean. Its legs resembled that of an insect's, since they had two joints, one allowing him to bend his legs in the normal fashion, and a second joint underneath those, bending the legs the other way. His feet looked more like claws than a human's feet. His arms looked vaguely human as well, ending in the normal five fingers. It's face seemed triangular, with the normal two eyes, nose and mouth in the correct positions.

It was the color of its skin that freaked the man out most. It was green and… liquid. It was like looking through a glass window and seeing rushing water on the other side. He also noticed that his entire body seemed to increase and decrease slightly, as if the entire thing was breathing for him.

A scream would have soon followed, but the monster charged him, crossing the distance in an instant. Its left hand reached out and covered the man's mouth, violently shoving him against the door, slamming it shut.

The man squirmed in the monster's grasp, furiously hitting his hands on the monster's arm. It seemed to have some effect because the thing looked ready to collapse right now. And that's when the man felt himself gagging violently.

For the blood in his body was being forced through his mouth into the palm of the monster's left hand, where it was absorbed into the thing's own body. As this went on, the man's meager attempts to resist weakened with each passing second, while the monster slowly stopped shaking and stood up straighter, the pain easing away.

It didn't take much longer for the man to fall limp in Bakeru's grip as he continued to absorb the blood. After about a minute of this, he let go of the man, dropping him on the floor, while Bakeru began breathing more easily.

This was why he was still classified in the trial stages of the experiment and released from his tank earlier than planned for this mission.

He was unstable.

Because his DNA and molecular structure allowed him to freely change his body as he wanted, that meant it lacked a significant firm structure that would keep the body together. Otherwise, his molecular structure would collapse completely on him, like a ten story building that had all its support beams suddenly break. This was the problem they had been trying to fix in the last phase of testing, and part of the reason why it was this mission that was being used to test his abilities: Orochimaru-sama and Kabuto-sama needed to know how extensive the problem was and if it would interfere in a potentially long-term assignment.

And this was why he fed the first night of the boat ride and risked alerting his presence to the enemy shinobi on board. So he could avoid breaking down at an inconvenient time like he just did! He would be easy pickings for the shinobi then, especially when he had to 'feed' in his original body, which wasn't meant for fighting.

And to make matters worse, the time in-between his breakdowns was erratic. No pattern to it. Sometimes it was a few days, other times a few hours. So far, this was the fourth time he had fed, but only the third breakdown he had actually experienced since he left Otogakure. Taking in blood from a new source was able to patch up his unstable molecular structure, but this was only temporary. It wasn't a solution.

He briefly allowed himself to look at his left arm. His left arm was designed for drawing and assimilating another's blood into his arm. On the palm was a special seal, an engraving of the kanji for Blood, that allowed him to suck the blood out of a person that he could get in his grasp. Likewise, his right arm was designed for memory, with his right palm having a seal engraving with the kanji for Memory. Chakra was not actually used when he did either of these feats or even when he assumed different forms. It was the same to him as taking a step or breathing.

Breathing much easier now, he heard several footsteps outside. He quickly shifted back into his previous disguise that he had used ever since this mission to Snow had begun. That hadn't been compromised yet. He then made his way to the door and walked out. People were coming towards him, but there was no one within sight. Perfect. No one would be able to identify him with the body. Bakeru himself wasn't sure how much blood he drained this time, but he hardly cared. The man wouldn't be able to identify anything but a 'monster!', assuming he did get up again.

With that in mind, he made his way to the upper deck, wondering what he was supposed to do now. He had planted the seeds in Sasuke, but he wouldn't be able to subdue the boy with brute force if need be. Not unless he could get the other two out of the way. The question was… how?

An answer came almost immediately. Perhaps those Yuki-nin might provide a useful distraction…

* * *

**Five minutes later...**

After managing to calm Sasuke down (they did so by dunking him in the sea), Naruto's other Kage Bunshins reported that they found nothing. Not surprising. The freak could be any sort of fish if he really did drop into the ocean.

"So then we have to assume he's back on the boat," Naruto said to the other two as all three of them were jogging alongside the sailing ship, trying to form some kind of plan while everyone else was out of earshot. Sasuke's arm still had a sting to it, but seemed better now, and Naruto's shoulder wasn't hurting as much either as it was healing, thanks to that damned fox. At least the wound itself didn't look deep, even if it was painful!

Sasuke merely nodded, a small 'hmph' escaping from his voice. "If he is, then where would he be hiding? Impersonating one of the crew?"

Sakura shrugged, while Naruto offered "Probably. He's somewhere on the ship. Maybe one of the deck hands, or the camera crew or…" he stopped as it all slowly dawned on them. If the freak really was one of the people on the boat… then he could be ANYONE. Even the other actors, or the director himself… or the Captain, for that matter. Or heck, maybe he was part of the ship itself. A stray box, or one of the lifeboats.

"So how the hell are we supposed to find him?" Sasuke demanded.

Naruto answered by flinging his arms up helplessly. "How should I know? Just watch and see if someone slips something into your food and makes you pass it. That'll probably be the freak."

"…he… just might do that…" Sakura spoke up, making both boys look at her.

"Seriously?" Naruto asked. "I was half joking, because I remember the night of the party I took a drink and wanted to go right to sleep. It's not like it was drugged…" He stopped for a number of reasons. The first was that he realized it might actually have been possible that he had been drugged.

The second was that both Sakura and Sasuke were giving him surprised looks. "No way… you two as well!?"

Sasuke merely nodded, while Sakura reached into her pouch and brought her hand forth, revealing a small syringe. "I found this outside your room," she said, looking in Sasuke's direction. "I can't tell what's inside, but I'm willing to bet that it was that shapeshifter's. If he had injected you with this… you'd either be dead or incapacitated."

A moment of silence followed as the three involuntarily looked at the ship. "So… this freak… could be anyone… and drug us when we least expect it?" Sasuke asked.

"Looks that way," Sakura answer. "So… what do we do about it?"

No one had any real answer and no one offered one either. What would Kakashi tell them to do knowing all this information? Again, no one came up with an answer. The only solution they came up with was to test each other with questions, like what had happened earlier, and be very observant about what type of food and drink they had. Naruto had half a mind to just prepare everything himself.

They grudgingly made their way back on top of the deck.

"HOORRAAAYY!!"

…and were greeted by loud, roaring applause. The entire movie crew was out there cheering their heads off.

"YOU TWO DROVE THE MONSTER AWAY!!"

"YOU GUYS KICK ASS!!"

"THOSE SNOWS WIMPS ARE IN TROUBLE NOW WHEN THEY FACE YOU BOYS AGAIN!!"

"GREAT JOB! YOU'RE REAL MEN!!"

Several people began gathering around both Sasuke and Naruto. Both boys just looked at each other a bit startled, truth be told. Why get this big of a reaction? They're weren't really that amazing… were they? Unable to form a word of protest, they got dragged into the center of the crowd. Though, one person wasn't cheering, being happy or being congratulated. This person was doing something else. This person was repeating certain words in their mind.

_Two._

_Guys._

_Boys._

_Men._

Where did that leave her? Where did that leave Haruno Sakura?

The said girl was still standing at the edge of the ship, looking at the sight. No one came near her, no one mentioned her. No one even looked at her. Inner Sakura did not take kindly to that. **"**_**How dare you**__**jerks ignore me! I…"**_

_Shut up, _Sakura said to herself in a silent, dejected voice. _Just… shut. Up._

What did she do anyway? Sure, she punched him once, but only because Naruto and Sasuke made an opening. She tried helping a few times, only to be pushed out of the way. And when she had thrown the shuriken, they went right toward her teammates…

So why should anyone praise her? What did she do?

Nothing.

Gazing silently at the partying crowd (several of which were trying to offer sake to the boys), Sakura just took a step to the side. Then another. And another, moving towards the back of the ship with each one. She looked over her shoulder and saw everyone still going on and on about the two boys, with still no mention of her. Not even as a nuisance. It seems she wasn't even worthy of being that.

_I… I guess… I'm fated to stay in the background… to support, not to fight… to watch, not to act… to just get in the way, not be of assistance…_

Giving one last look around, she looked back towards the back of the ship and continued walking, her head hung down low. Alone.

_So be it…_

**Omake!**

(Note from paintball-gamer: This omake corresponds to the ending of Chapter 10, in which Bakeru transforms into Orochimaru. Here's _my _take on who he _should_ have transformed into, heh heh heh…)

The other Naruto looked at them all. Then, slowly, a smile bloomed on his face. "Yes," he said in a voice completely different from any of theirs. He calmly stood up and brushed himself off. "I suppose maintaining this charade is rather pointless now, isn't it?"

"Just shut up and tell us who are you are!" Sasuke demanded.

"Very well, then," drawled the faker as he spread his arms wide. Suddenly, his body began to morph, appearing as though it were unfolding. Each time a body part 'unfolded', it was replaced by… a metal plate?

More metal plates began popping up on the imposter's body, soon causing him to appear as if he were expanding. He continued to grow in size as razor sharp armor plates began appearing all over the surface of his body.

When the transformation was complete, there no longer stood a fake Naruto, but a huge metal behemoth at least 20 feet tall. The robot looked down at where Team 7 stood completely gobsmacked at the sight, its glowing red eyes glaring down on them. **"I AM MEGATRON!!"** roared the robot in a loud mechanical-sounding voice.

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke's jaws were on the floor, their eyes bugging out of their heads at the sight. "Ohhhhh…" began Sasuke, "…shit," finished Naruto.

(Credit goes to paintball-gamer for creating this omake)

* * *

(**Author's Note)**: Whew… this came out later and considerably longer than I would have liked. I had envisioned what it would be like to write how a shapeshifter would fight in battle, but it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. That's so not fair! And there were other little problems that delayed this chapter, but I won't bore you with the details.

So how was the fight here? Good? Bad? I rather liked it.

And Kakashi made an appearance! Kinda anyway, but are you all happy now? I'm still not going to mention when the real one will make his reappearance, but hopefully this was a somewhat pleasing compromise.

And poor Sakura's left behind… I wonder when the two idiots will realize what their good intentions of keeping her safe and out of the fighting have resulted in. So it seems that Bakeru's intentions of breaking bonds between these three has succeeded some. Will it get better or worse before they arrive at the Snow Country? And that time is nearing.

To ArmorofGeddon and anyone else wondering: if Bakeru's body being unstable with the very real threat of collapsing in on itself at the molecular level is not a good reason for Orochimaru to use Bakeru's body as a host, then I don't know what is. Still, I hope you are satisfied with that answer.

To Kell Shock and Reviewer: now that I've shown just how Bakeru takes the blood from his victims, does this change anything since they are not bleeding to death in the normal fashion? Though I will be honest: I don't really care if it does or not when it's done to background characters like Han and this new guy (who didn't even get a name!). If it was done to one of the major characters, or minor characters, yeah, that would be cause for concern. But on background characters like those two? I don't give it a second thought if it's fatal or not. We're not going to be seeing them again anyway, so they might as well be dead.

Jutsu used in this chapter

**Katon: Kaki Fannerufuro no Jutsu--**_Fire Release: Fire Funnel Flow_/ Unlike many other Katons, which concentrate their energy into one point for striking and punching power, this Katon is designed to spread out in a wide radius. The further it goes out, the wider the radius becomes. This means that the damage it does to the target(s) decreases as the radius increased, but the amount of surface area affected increases drastically. This jutsu is used for primary diversion tactics, as it allows the user to set fire to stall their opponent as well as set fire to the surrounding area, giving the enemy another element to worry about. (Low C-Class Ninjutsu) (Bakeru)

**Suiton: Tajuu Suiryuudan**--_Water Release: Multiple Water Dragons_/Merely a standard Suiryuudan, except many of them are launched from a number of Kage Bunshins. Capable of beating an opponent unconscious from the many impacts should the jutsu be successful. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto) Original technique created by Tellemicus.

**Hyouton: Aisu Kaze Kasui no Jutsu--**_Ice Release: Ice Wind Spikes_/ A Hyouton with a fair amount of Suiton thrown in the mix. The user blows out a fierce icy wind from their mouths at incredibly low temperatures, generally about 10 below. With water thrown in as well, it makes the opponent(s) feel that much colder. This can often immobilize the enemy as they would be too busy shaking and shivering for warmth as well as slow their reflexes. With an additional hand seal, one can make the temperature lower and freeze the water in the wind itself into small ice shards, which are then propelled at the enemy. While the individual shards present minimal danger, a large amount can cut an enemy to ribbons over a moderate period of time. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Bakeru)

Side note: some might think it would make more sense to classify this jutsu as Fuuton class as opposed to Hyouton class. In all honesty, it probably could go either way, but for me, it seems more fitting as an ice technique as opposed to wind.

**Raiton: Akari Rensa Handou no Jutsu**--_Lightning Release: Light Chain Reaction_/ A Raiton that acts more as an enhancement for other techniques, as opposed to an attack in itself. After performing the seals, the user can store up to three charges in their mouth, capable of firing one each time the mouth opens. When they strike an object, human or otherwise, the electricity stores itself in the target, making it explosive. In certain cases, the charges can convert the target's own natural electrical energy (like, say, in a person) and make it that much more powerful. They also have a magnetic function, attracting Raiton class ninjutsu to that spot, and then sending it directly to the second charged target and finally the third, increasing the original Raiton's power significantly with each charge. The charges, however, have a limited lifespan, ranging only a few minutes before fading out, thus rendering the charge useless. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Bakeru)

**Raiden no Jutsu**--_Thunder and Lightning_/Like a bolt of lightning, a flash of light momentarily lights the area directly in front of the user. This has the potential of badly hurting the eyes of an enemy, even temporarily blinding them. And, like lightning, with the sudden removal of the light causes an almost instantaneous explosion of sound that is as deafening as thunder. If used in a crowd, there is an almost guaranteed chance of utter confusion and chaos. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto/Bakeru) Original technique created by Tellemicus.

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to paintball-gamer for beta reading this!_


	13. Reflecting on What's Done

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 13 – Reflecting on What's Done_

**11:02 am**

Unknown to the depressed kunoichi, two people had noticed her as she walked off to the rear of the ship.

The first one didn't say anything because he wasn't entirely sure what to say to her. As far as he could tell, she had just looked depressed and walked off. Why? He wasn't entirely sure, but he could guess what was causing it. The problem was that, if he was right, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. It would have to be the two boneheads that would need to set things right. And he wasn't sure if this was something he or anyone else should interfere in. If these three couldn't work things out themselves... then their future as a team was going to crumble completely. They needed to understand that they had to rely on and support each other, covering their weaknesses and enhancing each other's strength. You don't do that by ignoring the teammate who's having the problem.

The individual frowned to himself. The only problem with letting them sorting it out themselves is that they would arrive at the Snow Country early tomorrow morning. They needed to sort out their problems _now_ before they arrived. If they didn't, he was certain that disaster would strike. Because of this, he was tempted to say something.

In the end, he held his tongue. There was still time. If these three didn't make some sort of progress tonight, he'd tell them the error of their ways himself. He would much rather prefer to not do so, but he knew from experience that life often didn't go the way he wanted. So he'd wait for now... and perhaps the three would surprise him.

As for the other individual who had seen Sakura, he smiled mentally to himself. It seemed that he had succeeded in separating the three somewhat after all. He pondered how he should go about taking it further. He had plenty of time to think of a few ideas. Time, because he had intercepted Uzumaki's little messenger frog before going to the Uchiha. A simple kick had dispersed the frog back to its place of origin. And just to be safe, he had destroyed the message itself with a simple Katon.

There was no longer any chance of Team 7 receiving any additional help.

* * *

**Sakura**

Sakura walked back to the rear section of the ship, lost in her own thoughts and oblivious to the world around her. Not that there was much to draw her attention to. Everyone else was still at the front of the boat praising the two heroes of the hour. There was nothing to bother her or anything. Just crates, studio equipment, and whatever else happened to be lying around. Even the birds in the sky seemed to avoid the place right now.

_How fitting... seems I really am meant to be alone right now..._

Is that what Naruto and Sasuke had felt like? During the early years? When Naruto was just viewed as the class clown with no one bothering to so much as look at him, and when _he_ had lost his family? Was it this feeling that had plagued them for so much of their lives? To feel so... alienated… that you didn't even belong with other people? So much so that a doornail received more attention than you did?

She continued walking as she thought more and more about it, not really caring where she was headed. It didn't seem to matter right now. She took another step and felt dirt underneath her foot. Looking down, she saw some of the leftover dirt from her practicing with the Doryuuheki and Daichi Kobura. She was surprised there was even this small amount leftover. Kneeling down, she just looked at it absentmindedly for several moments before realizing where she had inevitably walked to.

Right back to her training spot.

Memories flooded back to her as to what she had been trying to accomplish only a few short hours ago. "It really is fitting," Sakura said quietly as she reached out and took a handful of the dirt into her fist. She really did feel lower than dirt right now. Who had she been kidding when she thought she would be able to keep up with Naruto, _him _and even the shapeshifter? Loosening her grip slightly, she watched it slide slowly out of her hand back to the deck. "Why should I even bother continuing? If I really am just supposed to sit on the sidelines, then what's the point of creating that new technique anyway?" She watched the last of the dirt slip through her fingers, then looked at her hand. It was dirty now, of course. If it really mattered to her that much, she could just wash her hand later instead of having to deal with the dirt clinging to her palm.

... clinging... to her palm...

A feeling of curiosity sparked within her as she considered what had just passed through her mind. After a moment, she reached behind into her pouch and withdrew the ribbon she had been working with. Glancing back between her hands, a possibility began forming in her mind. What if... yes... if she did that to the ribbon, instead of merely using it as an item to practice... but instead used it as a medium for... she looked back down at the pile of dirt. _I would need to experiment a little first,_ she thought to herself as she put the ribbon away and formed the five handseals as she stood up. _But if this works, I may have just solved a crucial step for _that _jutsu._

She spat out a new pile of dirt, no longer caring if it was pointless or not to try and finish this in time. All she cared about was that she might have just found a way to actually make this idea work. And the feeling bloomed within as surely as flowers did on the first day of spring. She didn't care right now if she wouldn't be able to use this for practical use or not; only that she had solved something on her own.

With that thought, she placed her hands on the dirt and began experimenting. And a smile nearly appeared on her face as a result.

* * *

**Naruto**

"Fucking... stupid... mission..."

That was just the latest in a current rant as he walked back and forth. He wasn't on the deck, in the mess hall, or even in his room. No, he was pacing back and forth on the main sail's post... upside-down. There were many things that pissed him off on this mission – _**Makino**_, the movie, Sasuke (because he was an ass, but admittedly, not as big as before), _Koyuki_, Sakura (because of her new attitude), and the freak. And they weren't even at the damn Snow Country yet! What kind of horrors and nightmares waited for them there? He then snorted, as there was now one more thing to add to the dreaded list.

His jacket was missing.

After all the praise from the movie and ship cast, Naruto went to reclaim his jacket that he had discarded earlier, only to find it gone. While this newest aggravation didn't rank has high as the others, it still angered him beyond words. It was amazing how it seemed that it was the smallest things in life that were the ones that aggravated you the most.Naturally, no one admitted to taking his jacket, but it didn't just grow legs and walk.

So after looking for ten minutes and finding absolutely nothing, Naruto found himself back up at the sails cussing up a storm with his upper body still exposed. He was sure that some of the others who had seen him probably thought he was losing it, but they stayed out of his way, lest he vent his anger and outrage on them. And Naruto had to admit... one more little push just might result in that.

And that's when his stomach grumbled. Stopping in mid-pace, he looked at his belly. For a moment, he just stood there staring before another growl emerged... as did a smile on his face. He didn't know why he found himself being hungry amusing. Maybe it was because compared to all the other shit that had happened, this problem would be easy to solve and wouldn't bite him in the ass. He stopped the chakra flow to his feet and jumped down, rotating as he did so to land on his feet.

He arrived at the mess hall a few minutes later, trying to decide on which flavor to have today. Ah... if only life could be like this... where the biggest problem was deciding on which flavor was best! He walked up to the counter and leaned on it casually. "Give me an order of Beef Ramen. About ten should be a good start."

"Sorry, Naruto-kun," the chef said, giving the boy a sorrowful look. "But we're out."

Dead silence hung in the air for what felt like eternity and Naruto swore his heart stopped during that time. Naruto just stared at the man, with disbelief etched onto his face as firmly as his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The first movement came by the form of blinking, then by very small, but noticeable twitches.

"_**WHAT!?"**_

Naruto jumped over the counter and began rummaging through all the supplies, tossing everything he could get his hands on to clear the shelves, as if expecting to find a hidden compartment. He threw cans, packaged goods, utensils, fresh fruit, dishes, whatever he could get his hands on. His desperation increased, along with the rate of items being tossed, the more he searched through the shelves.

"Naruto!" A cup slammed in the guy's face. "Kun!" A bowl landed on his head. "Please!" The man ducked as several knives came flying next. "Stop!" A bag of flour hit the man in the stomach. "This!" Four tomatos splattered on the guy. "Isn't!" He dodged several cans. "Helping!"

"HOW CAN WE BE OUT!?" Naruto demanded, hurling a pan next.

"Because!" A fish narrowly missed. "The!" A watermelon came flying, making the guy shriek as he fell to the floor in horror, missing it. "Crate is gone!" He said in a hurry from his position on the floor.

Naruto froze, in the middle of swinging a coffee mug. "Nani?"

The man seemed to be breathing easier now that the boy was no longer hurling everything in sight. "Because of your... appetite," the man said slowly, as if expecting Naruto to explode again. "We were running through the ramen supply rather quickly, so we went to bring out the last crate of it. The men were taking a break moving it, but then went back to find it missing. We never found it again."

Naruto just studied the man. Something about what the chef said bothered him slightly. A nagging feeling in the back of his mind, like he had forgotten a very important detail to add to his scrolls. What was it? "When did this happen?" the-one eyed boy asked, wondering if that would help any.

"Around eight this morning."

Naruto blinked. Eight... eight... what was he doing around...

"_Kuso," he hissed under his breath, kicking some crate that was near him. He watched it soar through the air and drop into the ocean. He briefly wondered what had been inside. Probably more cameras for filming or something like that. Why did Kakashi have to go and get killed like that!? He shook his head once more, then bit his thumb. Oh, screw it! He had more important things to do than just mope around. He ran through the seals and muttered "Well… let's see if this works. Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"_

Naruto felt his blood run cold. No... no... it... it wasn't possible... this was some terrible joke... that couldn't had been... no, there had to be another crate... ANY other!... crate around then! The one he kicked... that was just filled with... cameras... or clothes... or anything else! ANYTHING ELSE!! Groaning in defeat, he slumped back against the wall, burying his face in his left hand as he shook his head. This had to be some form of cruel punishment... now his ramen was gone. Because of him! And just when he thought that nothing could go wrong with a simple lunch!

Slamming his fist into the wall, he walked out of the kitchen itself, ignoring the man's words of 'Aren't you going to clean this up?' Naruto just walked through the mess hall, his head hung down low with the new knowledge he had just learned. Could this shitty situation get any worse!?

"Oh_... Naruto-san..." _sang an all too familiar voice from one of the tables he was passing. Anger replacing his depression, he looked over to see the bastard himself sitting at a table, looking directly at him with that damned smile on his face. The same type of smile he used when he was about to do a drastic change in the movie that he thought was just perfect... no matter how embarrassing or stupid everyone else thought it was.

Naruto's eye glanced downward and that anger inside him was about a hair away from erupting. _The bastard was eating ramen!!_

"I was hoping you and me could chat a bit," Makino said lightly, deliberately taking a slow bite of ramen. "It would be in your best interest," he said after slurping it into his mouth.

"Chat? _Chat?" _Naruto repeated in an undertone. Did that bastard director not comprehend the danger he was in by eating the last of the ramen in Naruto's face and asking for a chat!? Did he have no bounds he wouldn't cross for his stupid, shitty-ass movie!? Naruto just stormed forward, fists cocked. "_YOU _have the nerve to eat that in front of me and demand – "

Makino held up a finger and waved it disapprovingly. "Careful," he said, still in that singing tone. "I said I would make it worth your while. You see... I have the rest of the ramen on this ship in _my _possession."

For what had to be the fifth time in the last few minutes, Naruto froze again.

"I see I have your complete attention. Good. All you have to do is have a little interview with me considering all the new stuff we've encountered – the Yuki-nin, our shapeshifter friend, the loss of your sensei, and what we can expect at the Snow Country when we arrive."

"I have a better idea," Naruto offered, getting closer. His was voice low and the tone was far from friendly. "How about I just kick your ass and take the ramen?"

Makino didn't so much as blink at the threat. He looked more amused than anything. "You _could_ do that," he agreed wholeheartedly. He then put a finger against Naruto's raised fist. "But you won't get the rest of the ramen if you do."

Of course... Naruto hissed to himself. The bastard wouldn't keep the ramen on his person. Not when it was his bartering chip. And just like with those damn copies the other day, they were probably well hidden. Breathing out hard, he did what had to be the smartest thing he could do in that situation. He stormed out of the room before anything else could be said.

Makino just gave an all-knowing smile. "You'll come back. They _always_ come back." With that said, he took another mouthful of his ramen.

**

* * *

**

11:09 a.m.

Sasuke

Sasuke found himself in the bathroom again, his left arm under the faucet, letting the cool water run over it. There was still this damn numbing and stinging feeling in it, but the water seem to relieve him of those nuisances. At least while the cold water was flowing over his arm.

While he was doing this, the Uchiha was playing the scene over and over in his mind again. Sakura caught in that freak's slime... the Raiton streaking towards her... him jumping in front of her to block the blow. He didn't remember any sort of thought process. He just acted. That worried him slightly. He wasn't the type to just jump in without thinking like that. And that blast had been very powerful. It had taken him strengthening his Chidori well beyond what he was used to just to cancel that attack out. Thinking back on it now, if he had been in any other circumstances, he would have just avoided the strike as best he could instead of jumping headfirst into it, because he wouldn't be sure that he could survive such an attack.

Turning off the water, he withdrew his arm and looked at it, then glanced upward to the glass mirror. And despite what he was thinking, that was exactly what he did. He jumped in headfirst. For a girl. For his teammate. For Haruno Sakura.

"Why?" he asked his reflection. Predictably getting no answer, he shook his head looking downward.

Again, his mind wandered back, to before the whole encounter with the shapeshifting bastard. When he had been soul searching within himself, asking if his teammates had been important enough to him to die for them. At the time he didn't have an answer, but now he felt he had two hints as to what that answer might be.

The first was that he had called both Naruto and Sakura by the f word. Friends.

The other was that he had risked his life to protect Haruno Sakura.

He still didn't know if he would be willing to do it for Naruto, but the fact that he had just done it for Sakura forced him to reconsider some possibilities to himself. She was his friend. Okay... that seemed plain enough. Did that make her his best friend after all? Or... dare he dare even think this... something more?

The mere thought of that possibility made him wince. It couldn't be _that_ far. Right? He briefly pondered... what if he lost both of them, like Kakashi? If he lost Naruto or Sakura... how would he take it? He would not lose anyone else. He didn't want to go through that again. Still... why did it feel that losing Kakashi didn't have that big of an impact on him? Why did he feel that if he lost either Naruto or Sakura... he would never recover? Sighing, he looked up at the mirror again, only to recoil at the sight.

His hand was rubbing his cheek again.

Twitching violently, he gave a small yell as he slammed his left fist into the mirror, making the glass shatter. He immediately regretted it as new pain shot through his arm. Cradling his arm again, he clenched his teeth to prevent himself from hollering in pain again. Forget what he just thought! There was no way in hell he thought of Sakura as more than a friend! Not with this damn... urge... rearing its ugly head every time he least expected it!

Looking at the mirror, he barely registered the fact that he had broken it. Wasn't that worth seven years of bad luck or something? Oh, he didn't care. What was the worst that could happen? Lightning strike here too? As if!

With that said, Sasuke walked to the door, only to slip on a soap bar and crash to the floor. He picked himself to leave, only to get slammed in the face with the door as someone else came in. Letting out a cuss word, he moved on and closed the door behind him, only to get his left hand caught in the door. Letting out a very irritable shriek, he slammed his right fist and shattered that part of the door. He then walked down the hall, where one of the repaired holes (the one caused when the freak fought Naruto) collapsed, making all the materials fall on top of Sasuke. Yelling, he threw the debris off as he continued walking. He passed the second one (the one made by him and Naruto) when a can of pink paint fell down the hole and landed on his head. Too angry to form words, he took the damn thing off and threw it in the air. Storming up the stairs, he slipped on some food mess that some stupid crew member left out. Fortunately for Sasuke, he recovered on the stairs and managed to land gracefully at the bottom. A testament to his ninja skills, no doubt.

"Heh," said Sasuke, when his shorts fell down at that precise moment.

* * *

**Naruto**

"Of all the low things that bastard has pulled, this takes the cake!" Naruto ranted, just wandering aimlessly through the ship. Agree to a stupid interview and get the last ramen on the ship? Naruto didn't know what was worse... the fact that bastard did this in the first place... or the fact that he had been very close to accepting the deal. He loved his ramen! And he would do anything for it! Or... at least, that's what he always told himself. Was ramen worth dealing with more of Makino's shit about his stupid movie? Part of him shouted an absolute 'Yes!' while the other yelled a 'No!'

He was so focused on his thoughts that he bumped into someone who was stupidly standing in the middle of the frickin' hallway. Rubbing his face, he glared at the suicidal fool that dared to mess with him now.

It was Hidero of all people.

"Ryo for your thoughts?" he asked him simply as he looked at the boy with a playful look.

"No. Now scram," Naruto replied, more harshly than he intended. He didn't hate this guy as much as Makino or Koyuki, but that was like saying he hated those stiff-assed Hyuuga as much as an Uchiha-teme. Both were too close together to separate and annoying in different ways to the ninth degree. In short, being associated with the movie was enough for Naruto to thoroughly dislike the man.

He shoved the older man aside – and he wasn't gentle about it – and moved to continue down the hall when he felt the man's firm grip on his shoulder. "I think I can guess the problem. It has something to do with the director, right?"

Naruto's eye narrowed. "Did he send you to convince me to do that damned interview as well?"

There was a slightly puzzled look on the man's face, but Naruto wouldn't be surprised if that was just an act as well. The man _was_ an actor. "No, I came of my own accord. There was something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"Unless you have some ramen, know where my jacket is, or a way to get me out of your damn movie, I'm not interested in anything you have to say."

A small chuckle escaped from the man's mouth. "Sorry, none of the above." He then withdrew his hand and crossed his arms. "But it's not surprising to hear you say that. No... the reason I wanted to talk is about what happened during your fight with that shapeshifter. Namely when he become your girlfriend and you froze for a moment."

Naruto was already shaking his head. Oh no... there was no way he was going to talk about Hinata to these shit heads! "Right... and this isn't an attempt to get me to talk to your boss." Seeing Hidero's confused face, Naruto moved around him and began walking off. "Buzz off if you know what's good for you."

"She's a Hyuuga and you're a nobody. You think that there's little to no chance that the two of you can be together because she's considered high class when you're at the bottom of society's food chain."

Against his will, Naruto found himself stopping. The memory of when Sasuke had funded a training mission between the two of them shot into his mind. Hinata had been dragged into that opening verbal fight that time too.

"_You do realize her father would never allow you to date with her." He crossed his arms out of satisfaction. "Especially not a filthy, shunned orphan like yourself."_

Naruto felt his fists tighten as well as his anger boiling. If there was one thing he truly hated, it was when people told him he couldn't do something! And now this ass of an actor was trying to rub it in his face again. Naruto looked over his shoulder to see what kind of death wish this actor had coming to him.

Hidero, however, merely leaned against the wall. He took Naruto's silence and glare as a sign that he had the boy's attention. "You'd be surprised how well actors can read people's faces, actions, intentions, and thoughts. It comes from the fact we play many different types of people over our careers. It gives us a special insight on other people. The jealous boyfriends, the strong heroes, the honorable sidekicks, the dastardly villain, the greedy merchant that only thinks of himself and a dozen other typical roles." Noting that the ninja didn't jump him, he continued. "We're nothing, if not observant. We all saw your sensei transform into her during your intro scene, and Sasuke-san had identified her as a 'Hyuuga girl' earlier. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together that she was the one you fancy." He gave Naruto a sorrowful look. "And you carry yourself as one who's had to live and do everything on your own. Both by choice and by circumstance"

Naruto slowly turned around to face the man head on. This guy was cutting _way_ too close. "And what role have you played that makes you all-knowing about such things?" He meant it as a rhetorical question so that he could shove it in Hidero's face, but to his surprise man offered up a sad smile. "None. Just my own personal experience on the matter."

He looked upward, as if trying to see something above that he knew was out of his reach, yet still taunting him. "When I was about your age, there was one girl that I fell for almost immediately when I saw her for the first time. Her name was Karei. She was a true keigun'ikkaku if I ever saw one. Radiant black hair that flowed in the wind, sparkling brown eyes that just looked into your soul. A smile that could warm you up even on the coldest day of winter. Her voice was pure music as far as I was concerned." He gave a light smile at the memory. He noticed Naruto just tapping his foot impatiently. He was actually interested in hearing this. It was a nice change to hear someone else's problems.

"Er... right..." Hidero said, laughing nervously. "Gomen. Got caught up in the moment. I came from a poor family myself, probably like you did." Naruto snorted loudly at him, not offering any verbal response. "My parents were hard working and never able to get that much, but we were happy. Karei was just the opposite: she came from the wealthiest family in the area. Had ten servants willing to wait on her hand and foot."

"Like you?" Naruto quipped. With the way he had described this Karei person, he could imagine this guy willing serving this girl just to get close to her.

A small chuckle escaped the older man's lips. "I wish. I was just a poor peasant boy and she was the princess of the castle, if you'll allow the metaphor. For two years, I was a lovesick fool who tried to simply get her attention by any means necessary. I was too shy to talk to her directly, so I pulled pranks every chance I got so that everyone noticed me, especially her. I also had a tendency to... mock... our teachers. That always got a laugh out everyone." His voice lowered as he seemingly looked off into empty space. "Except her."

"So... what happened?" Naruto asked, very much curious now.

Hidero closed his eyes, as if not wanting to look at anyone. "She got engaged, only a few months before she was sixteen. Coming from a wealthy family, her parents valued prestige and status above all else. So, to keep their family 'pure', she was sent to marry a boy from an equally wealthy family. I suspect that this guy may have even been a cousin of hers. Only met the turd once, but he was one of the biggest pompous asses you'd ever see, with a tendency to control everything around him. Several years older than she was and believed he was right in everyway. From what I've heard about Sasuke, him at his worst would make him look like well-behaved young man in comparison to this guy Karei was supposed to marry."

At this point, his eyes slowly opened and there was a neutral look about them. If eyes were supposed to be the windows to the soul, then Naruto would hazard a guess that this next part had to have been difficult for him. Some form of closure that didn't end in his favor.

"When I heard about the engagement, something... burst inside of me, I guess you could say. I didn't feel any shyness or hesitation anymore. I went directly to her home and asked to speak with her. After getting threatened and thrown off the grounds, a servant came to me, apologizing for what happened, and said that Karei was expecting me. I was confused because she couldn't possibly have been expecting me, but I followed the servant inside.

"I was led to her room and let in. She was sitting on her bed in the most casual of clothes I had seen her in. Just a plain shirt, jeans, ordinary sandals, and unbraided hair. She spoke without turning, saying that she had been glad to see me. With just the two of us alone, we talked seriously for what had to be hours. And I found out that she had been attracted to me as well. All my pranks, all my mockery, all those times of making a fool of myself... it made her feel normal. And happy. She could just forget her problems and be allowed to deal with the 'mundane world', as her parents put it."

"It made her happy?" Naruto asked, interrupting. "Then why didn't she say anything to you before this?"

Hidero gave him an all-knowing smile. "Isn't it obvious? She was just as shy as I was. She thought that if I really liked her, I would have come to her long before then." He shook his head. "In the end, it was our timidness that kept us apart, when we were both interested in each other."

Naruto was silent, not sure how to respond to that. Hidero, possibly caught up in his own memories, merely continued. "After that, I managed to sneak her out of her home, with the help of a few of the more sympathetic servants. That was one of the happiest nights of my life. We spent all our time at a local festival. We were dressed in casual clothes, so she was free to be how she wanted. If I had thought she was charming before in school, she was... alive, now. For the first time in her life – if only for one night – she was free of her burdens, free of her responsibilities, free to forget that looming reminder of an upcoming marriage. And seeing that happen was more than enough for me to be just as happy.

"Then... when she got home, her parents caught her in what she had done. I was forbidden to come close to her again, or my family's social standing would fall even harder, and those servants who helped us were fired at once. And if that wasn't enough, both her parents and her fiancée agreed to move the marriage up." His gaze fell at that. "They were married the very next morning."

Naruto closed his eye, not wanting to look at the man. He could imagine just how Hidero felt about that, how he thought and knew that it was his fault that she had gotten married off quickly like that. He also couldn't help but picture himself and Hinata in that situation. He felt that there would be no question that that would happen, that she too would have been married off because of those bastard elders. How Hiashi could deal with them on a day-to-day basis was beyond him. The thought of Hinata's father made him rethink that previous thought. If the elders did push for Hinata to be married off in a hurry, would Hiashi allow it? Would he step in and try to control the situation for getting out of hand like that, or would he just sit back and let his daughter get married off?

"After the wedding," Hidero spoke again, pulling Naruto out of his thoughts. "I decided to pursue my acting career. For everyone else that was concerned, it was because I had developed a sense of acting while mocking my teachers in school. And while that may be true, the real reason was to forget my shame for being the one that got Karei married off like that. Doing roles of other people, going so deeply into the character that I forget myself, it allowed me to forget.

"We still managed to speak with each other from time to time during all this. She was never really happy, but she wasn't as bad off as she could have been. But as the years went on, my acting took more and more of my time, while her husband became all the more strict. Then... eleven years ago... I found out that she and her husband moved to another country. Two months after the fact. I haven't been able to contact her since, or find a trace of her."

"Why are you telling me all this? Why are you spilling your guts to someone like me?" Naruto inquired. His instincts told him that Hidero was speaking the truth about his past, and he couldn't help but feel that there was an ulterior motive to all this. _No one_ goes and starts sharing deep secrets like this without a real reason. Especially when those secrets reopened old wounds.

"Why?" Hidero repeated. He moved over and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Maybe because I found your situation a bit too familiar. Maybe because I felt that you and your girl shouldn't make the same mistakes I did. Maybe because I can offer some advice to you. Unless the Hyuuga dramatically change in the next few years, I'd wager they'll be looking for an arranged marriage for Hinata. Before that happens, you need to go and talk to her. I mean, really talk to her. Find out for certain just how the two of you feel about each other. The sooner you do so, the better, because high class families aren't always quick to act. Find out if the two of you want to be together or if you feel you don't. Do so before the Hyuuga can act if at all possible. Because I can tell you this with absolute certainty: you'll regret talking to her and being rejected less than you will if you never talk to her at all and discover that something more could have happened between you."

With that, he turned around and started walking away. "Are you sure you're not here on Makino-teme's orders?" Naruto asked.

A loud laugh was the first part of Naruto's answer. "No, I'm not, Naruto-kun. But let me ask you this: would you rather have the Director write the movie the way he sees it, or would you rather you have some input to make sure it's something you can live with?"

**

* * *

**

Ten minutes later

Naruto

Uzumaki Naruto grudgingly walked back into the mess hall of the ship. Makino was still sitting in the same spot he had been earlier, eating ramen. Naruto was sure it was the same bowl as earlier. The man was deliberately eating slowly, so sure of himself that Naruto would give in to save the last of his precious food supply on the ship.

And truth be told, it was a major factor in why he was doing this.

Without preamble, Naruto sat in the chair opposite of the bastard man. "You better have more than just that," he said, trying to keep his voice calm while gesturing at the ramen the movie director was eating. In response, he merely smiled and reached under the table. Coming back up, he tossed one of the pre-made ramen packs to the Konoha shinobi, which he caught easily enough.

"I come through my deals," Makino assured him, a certain little twinkle in his eyes. "And the rest is yours once we finish. I suggest you eat this one very slowly."

Naruto just swore under his breath as he walked to the counter and had the chef prepare that pack. A little over three minutes later, Naruto walked back with his bowl and planted his rear in the chair. "Couldn't Sasuke or Sakura-chan be better suited for this?" he asked, taking a bite of his ramen. It was chicken flavored.

"If you had any idea what your teammates were going through right now, you would know the answer to that, Naruto."

Naruto gagged on his ramen right at that moment, which was halfway down his throat. After a few moments of thumping his chest over and over, he managed to complete the swallow. That tone he had just heard now was nothing like the one the director had used before. He was always optimistic, happy, light, and confident. But that didn't match what he heard just now. It was cold, hard, and unsympathetic. Naruto could scarcely believe he was talking to the same man.

Bringing his head up in a flash, he saw Makino sitting there, looking as he always did. "Both of your teammates are preoccupied at the moment, Naruto-san. More importantly, it is your position and opinions I am eager to hear about." Well... that tone sounded normal for the man and nothing like what he had just heard. Was it simply his mind playing tricks on him?

"Um... alright..." Naruto said hesitantly, making sure not to drop his guard again around this guy. "So... let's get this over with. Where do we start?"

And so for an hour, they talked. In the end, they came up with the following: That Doto had disposed of Mao easily, hence the reason the man had been on an iceberg in the middle of nowhere. The Yuki-nin had been sent to eliminate him and prevent Mao from being an annoyance in the future. That resulted in the battle of the iceberg and Kakashi's "heroic" death. That shapeshifter was written in as a world famous assassin that Doto had hired when his minions had failed the first time. He was known to thoroughly research his targets, but the rest of his background was a mystery. Only that he never failed to get his targets.

Naruto seriously doubted that this guy was an assassin or that any amount of research could have given him insight on their private lives. For another thing, this guy wanted Sasuke alive to take back to Orochimaru. And if he wanted to kill them, he could have poisoned either Sakura or himself instead of slipping in a drug. That thought made Naruto look down at his empty bowl. Oops. He didn't even think about this being drugged. After giving it some thought, he figured it had been safe. That package hadn't been opened, so there wasn't any way to slip something in it.

"I believe that covers it," Makino standing up again, looking quite smug and pleased with himself. "Thank you for your cooperation, Naruto-kun," In response, Naruto gave a very loud snort, but Makino didn't so much as bat an eye. "I'll have the rest of the ramen brought to your room, so you can feast on it as you will." With that, Makino departed, with Naruto wondering if the creep was going to make some last minute changes anyway. Giving a brief sigh, he leaned back on his chair, the front legs dangling in the air with his feet. Well... at least the next part of the movie shouldn't come out as any real surprise or twists. Looking downward, he saw his empty ramen bowl. If only this damned mission was as easy as making ramen. Or even attempting to mix nature and shape manipulations. Open the contents, boil the water, pour, wait the cursed three minutes, and eat. A simple step-by-step process...

... step-by-step process...

That thought caused Naruto to pause for a split second before shouting "THAT'S IT!"

And that resulted in his tilted chair falling over.

Not that Naruto cared about that at the moment. With this new thought, Naruto's mind began to whirl as he ran out of the mess hall. Step by step. What if he was going about mixing the two manipulations the wrong way? What if instead of trying to do it all at once, he did it step by step again? Break the Rasengan back down to the three basic steps he had done when creating it in the first place, then remaster each of those steps with wind added until he completed the jutsu all over again. The first stage wouldn't nearly be as difficult as the complete version, and once that was done, he would have a real stepping stone to finish the second and third stages!

Ramen truly did have all the answers!

Naruto's pace quickened as he leapt up the stairs twofold and onto the deck, where he ran out to his new place amongst the sails, his Oboro already snapping on as his mind raced back to recall the memory of what he did the first time around.

Like now, he had also been struck with inspiration after eating some delicious ramen. He had collected as many balloons as he could from a nearby store – paid for at a horribly inflated price – nearly a week before he graduated from the Academy. He certainly _could have_ graduated earlier if he had wanted to, but he wanted to keep up his 'baka' act. Plus... graduating with Hinata-chan and the others was more appealing than the other bozos he had to deal with. It had taken him three months, from when he bought the balloons to the time when he was training in the Wave Country, to master the first step. He wondered how long it would take him to remaster it with wind this time around.

Standing upside-down yet again on the post, he held out his right hand, the Rasengan coming to life a few seconds later. He was at the point where it could be created easily enough without a lot of effort, but if he hoped to do this with a fuuton version, it could ultimately require _years_ of effort as opposed to the six months it had taken for him to master the first version.

Studying the chakra sphere in his hand for about half a minute, he let it dissolve. Slowly, he concentrated on bringing up just the first stage. A small twirling cyclone appeared in his hand now, lacking any real form of control or power, just a swirling mess of chakra spinning at impressive speeds.

_Alright... here goes nothing..._ with that thought, he summoned a small amount of wind chakra and let it flow into the chakra vortex. Guided by his chakra, the wind merged with the shapeless vortex, only to be thrown out an instant later. Okay, that made sense. The Rasengan at this stage lacked any form of solid structure or control, so there was nothing to keep the wind mixed in. The slow way wouldn't work.

With that thought, he next concentrated on putting in as much wind as he could as fast as he could. The result was surprising: the chakra vortex seemed to feed the wind due to the speed it was entering. Because of that speed, it was going so fast that it kept itself from escaping due to the velocity. This continued for about ten seconds and Naruto would have sworn that he had succeeded already, only to watch as the entire thing exploded outward, nearly making Naruto lose his footing.

Naruto looked at his now empty hand in silence, as he absorbed this new information. Too much wind too fast caused the incomplete Rasengan to overload. Again, because there was no solid foundation or control, there was nothing to keep the power of his wind from imploding in on itself. So that meant... because of the no control factor, introducing wind too slowly just got it spat out, and introducing it too quickly overloaded the thing. He needed to find a medium. To be able to mix the wind fast enough to make the vortex feed and merge it, but not so slowly that it would get thrust out. At least for this stage.

* * *

**Two hours later...**

So for the next two hours (his hunger long forgotten), he spent the time trying to merge wind with stage one of the Rasengan. He could not believe all the different methods he tried and still none of them worked out right, ranging from introducing wind even before the first attempt, to mildly control the rate over a slow period. The closest attempt had resulted in the wind mixing for a total of forty three seconds and Naruto thought he had done it when the wind was spat out again. The only good news during all this was that the strain was barely noticeable, so it didn't kill his hands while doing this.

After those two hours, his stomach would no longer be ignored, so after dropping down to the deck, he went below to his room. The director-teme had said he would send the remaining ramen packs to his room, and for the man's sake, they'd _better_ be there.

Flinging the door open, he found over twenty ramen packs on his bed. So that was all that was left. As he mentally debated how to ration his precious food supply, his eye wandered to the other end of the bed and disbelief slowly crept its way onto his face.

For there was his jacket. Neatly folded and cleaned. Taking a few steps, he approached it as if it were a henged snake ready to bite him. After he was fairly certain it wasn't a henged snake or other form of trap, he slowly picked it up and gave it a small shake, letting it unfold. Every hole, every tear (including the big one he made himself to escape) had been neatly and professionally sewn and restored. The thing had a distinct smell to it as if it was freshly made for the first time. It looked, felt, and even smelled brand spanking new!

Turning it over to examine the other side, a small card flew out and fluttered downward to his bed. Picking it up, he read the words on it.

_Be more careful._

That was all. Nothing else. Especially not a name. Holding it to his face, he took a couple of deep sniffs, but he didn't recognize the scent off hand.

Just then, he heard the door swing open. Spinning around, he saw that it was none other than Uchiha Sasuke entering. The other boy had a fresh pair of clothes and looked like he had just recently taken several showers. Normally, Naruto would have shouted at Sasuke to either explain himself or just get the hell out. This time, though, the look on the Uchiha's face pecked at Naruto's curiosity: just what did he want this time?

Sasuke looked unequally uncertain and made several movements as if to leave. After steadying himself, he spoke. "We need to talk." Using his foot, he kicked the door closed. Once it slammed shut, he added "Alone."

In response, Naruto merely put on his jacket. "About what?" he asked as he shoved the thing over his head.

"I need to know the truth. Did you really meet with Itachi?" Truthfully, he wanted to know if he had traveled and trained with one of the Sannin, as well as if he was really the one to kill Haku. But while knowing those last two bits of information would ease his mind greatly, he wasn't ready to push his luck just yet. Foremost, he would discover the truth about Naruto and his brother.

Naruto just looked at him for a long time. "That freak plant that idea in you while you were alone with him?" Not waiting for an answer, he merely shook his head. "Sorry Sasuke, but I'm not willing to - "

" - talk about your past. Yes, I know. I get it!" Sasuke snapped, more loudly than he meant. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down and continued in a more level-headed voice. "But I need to know the truth, Naruto: did you really meet Itachi, and at what point? The shapeshifter mentioned other... things..."

"What other things!?"

"Does it matter?! I'm not asking about those, no matter how much I want to! You aren't willing to share all of your past, fine! I can accept that, but Itachi doesn't just affect you! He's my damn... well... he's my damn problem as well! If something really did happen between you and him, you can't just expect me to forget about it and move on! If Iruka-sensei was killed, or if I knew that something terrible happened to your Hyuuga girl, you would be demanding the same thing, so don't pretend otherwise! I need to know if you really met Itachi on your trip!" After that little rant, Sasuke took a moment to compose himself. "I'm asking for just one little favor... and I'll trust your word on it. If it really was a lie... if the shapeshifter really was just messing with my head... then just say so and I'm gone. No questions asked."

Sasuke breathed out hard and leaned against the door, panting slightly like he had just ran a marathon, while Naruto was seriously considering how to respond. What else did the freak blab to Sasuke? That question repeated itself loudly in his mind over and over. The freak had some way of discovering personal things about themselves and Naruto wanted to know what exactly.

On the other hand, he didn't want to tell any of these secrets to anyone else either. They were personal, and not everything was meant to be shared. But the thing that had struck Naruto the most was that Sasuke was stating that he was trusting Naruto completely right now. He could lie and say no and Sasuke would believe him. That one small word would put an end to this.

But that word didn't leave his lips. He couldn't bring himself to lie about something like this. Not with how Sasuke was acting. If he had been his pompous, high-ass self, there wouldn't have been any conflict about such a decision. Yet Uchiha Sasuke was not like that. Not now. And as such, a lie of this magnitude would not leave his lips. Besides, he remembered how Sasuke took a leap of faith and told Naruto the truth about how his Raiton had backfired and the flawed Kisou Karyuu. Now the blond felt it was his turn.

"Yes, it's true," Naruto said, sitting on the bed. "I met him while I was out of Konoha after Orochimaru's attack on the village."

Sasuke's head jerked up immediately, his eyes like daggers ready to pierce Naruto down to his very soul. "How?" Somehow, he kept himself calm and in control.

"I was traveling with..." Naruto hesitated, then a small burst of inspiration hit him. "Let's just call him ero-sennin… to find one of his friends. We stopped at a hotel, and while ero-sennin was out 'gathering information', Itachi came to my room." Again, Naruto hesitated before adding "Looking for me."

Sasuke jerked again, while Naruto continued. Both boys were amazed that Sasuke was keeping himself under control. "He and his partner were after me because of the damned foxed sealed inside me." He shot a look at Sasuke, who merely nodded, urging for Naruto to continue. "Don't ask me why, I don't have a fucking clue. I just know that they do."

Again, the raven-haired boy merely nodded as he made his own decision. "Why my brother would be after you..." He shook his head as he took yet another deep breath. "You know about the Uchiha slaughter?"

Now it was Naruto's turn to jerk. Sasuke had just asked what? He wasn't seriously going to mention…

"Four years ago, I returned home after what started out as a normal enough day. A day at the Academy, followed by some practice afterwards. I came home that night to discover the Uchiha compound littered with bodies. Men. Women. Children. Young. Old. Shinobi. Civilian. All of their bodies just everywhere. No one was alive."

Naruto found himself unable to speak right now; only listen. Like with Hidero, he couldn't help but pay attention. Unlike with Hidero, he didn't dare interrupt Sasuke right now. He wondered how often Sasuke had talked about this. Hell... had Sasuke even talked about this before?

"I just ran. As I saw more and more of the bodies, I broke out running as fast as I could towards our home. I briefly heard my mother's voice telling me to stay away. To not come inside and to just run. I didn't listen. I burst inside and... and saw my parents' bodies lying there. Freshly killed. Even an amateur like me could tell. I had just missed seeing the life leave them by mere seconds."

Sasuke stopped for a moment. His face twitched slightly and his right eye closed to stop a tear from emerging. "From the shadows behind them, Itachi – my older brother – came out, covered in blood. At first, I thought he had fought against the killers and slayed them. But when he threw a shuriken straight at me, scratching my cheek, I knew what the truth was." Sasuke tossed the area above his jawline on the left side of his face. "It could have easily been my throat." He paused as he looked at Naruto. "Does the name Tsukuyomi mean anything to you?"

Naruto shook his head, so Sasuke continued. "I yelled at him to explain himself. In response, he used Tsukuyomi on me. It's a special genjutsu limited to Itachi. Basically, he can make it seem like he can control time and space. With that, he forced me to watch him butcher the clan. Every single person. I collapsed, still not understanding. Again, I asked him why and he merely said it was to 'test his potential', that it was essential for him to do so. I got angry and took off running towards him." Sasuke held up a single finger. "A single punch to my stomach was enough to bring me down to my knees. At that moment, I realized, really realized, that Itachi could kill me just as easily as everyone else. I took off running again. Itachi caught up to me easily enough.

"He told me that I was not worth killing. I was too pathetic in his eyes. If I wanted to live, I was supposed to hate him, detest him with all my being. I was to become an avenger and kill him if I wanted to live so badly. To acquire the Mangekyou Sharingan and seek him out."

This time, Naruto spoke up, remembering what the shapeshifter had mentioned before throwing up and looking like he was about fall apart. "And how were you supposed to do that?"

The words barely left his lips. "I was supposed to kill my best friend."

Naruto wasn't sure what type of answer he had been expecting, but it sure as hell wasn't that. He unconsciously slid to the opposite end of the bed, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the Uchiha. How long had that thought ran through Sasuke's mind, he wondered. Did Sasuke ever seriously consider doing it? During those years in the Academy, had he looked at their classmates and tried to determine who would be his best friend? Had Sasuke imagined killing each person in his mind, wondering if that person would be his best friend? Did Sasuke see himself killing a boy named Uzumaki Naruto and a girl named Haruno Sakura as well?

Neither boy said anything. They merely avoided each other's gazes, each lost in their own thoughts. Naruto continued to ponder if Sasuke had ever thought about killing someone, namely himself, while Sasuke wondered what the hell possessed him to admit such a thing.

Naruto broke the silence first. "Your brother is a bigger bastard than I thought possible." He considered his next words for a moment. "Good thing you have me for a... friend."

"Oh? And why is that?" Sasuke asked sarcastically.

"Think about it. Itachi's after me as well. So that gives us an advantage. That means..."

"I don't want you to be the one to bring him down," Sasuke snapped. He groaned, and tried to control himself. "I mean... I need to be the one to kill him. I don't want help."

"Why don't you shut up for a moment?" Naruto interrupted. "Think about it. I'm Itachi's target. He's coming after me. That's a big advantage you can use."

Sasuke considered him for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"It means that you'll get the chance for Itachi to come to you on your terms, not the other way around. Give you a home field advantage, so to speak. You'll be able to set the time and place of battle, not him. It's all about tactics, Sasuke."

"So he'll come for you... and I strike?" the scarred boy asked.

The one-eyed boy shrugged. "Sounds better than striking out on your own and going after him, now, doesn't it? And by the time he does come, you'll be ready for him." Naruto hesitated before adding "And if you still feel confident about facing him alone, then I'll accept that. But I would really hope that you don't let your ego get in the way and make you fight alone when you're not ready."

The Uchiha snorted, but offered a small smile. "As long as you don't tell anyone, I'll... think about it."

_Good enough,_ Naruto thought. Feeling the need to change the subject and feeling a bit more open due to Sasuke's own confession, he spoke. "Ero-sennin is better known as Jiraiya of the Sannin. He had taken me out of Konoha after the invasion to help find Tsunade so she could become the next Hokage."

Again, Sasuke's head moved towards Naruto in the blink of an eye. So the dobe really had traveled with a member of that legendary trio. After hearing all this about Sasuke's past and just how big of a bastard Itachi was, Naruto felt that this particular secret was worth spilling. It only seemed fair. "Is he the one that taught you that super Katon?"

Naruto burst out laughing. It felt very odd to do that, given everything that he had just heard, but he couldn't help himself. "Him? The man-whore taught me that? Ha! Ha! That's a good one!" He shook his head and held up his hand towards Sasuke. "Sorry, man... I didn't mean to laugh. That fool just taught me the Doryuuheki. That's it. That said jutsu I learned from another source. The forbidden scroll to be exact. Same way I learned the Kage Bunshin."

Yet that laughter had somehow relieved the tension between the two. Like someone had opened a window to let a nice, cool breeze fill the room. Both boys felt quite good about themselves, and Sasuke felt that it no longer mattered if Naruto had been trained by a Sannin or not. From the sounds of it, he guessed Jiraiya was more of a headcase than a sensei. That was rather fitting, Sasuke thought. Naruto also decided to take another chance. "What else did you hear from the freak?"

The tension came again, but it wasn't nearly as bad as earlier. "Just Itachi and that you had traveled with Jiraiya. And... and that you were the one to kill Haku." The two boys just looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to."

"I know," Naruto responded quietly. "Yes. It was me."

Sasuke didn't press either. He felt he knew why Naruto had kept quiet about it. It was likely his first kill and he wasn't proud of it. Thirty minutes ago, he would have wanted to know the circumstances and how it happened, but now? It no longer mattered. He had done it and it was not something the boy was proud of. That was enough.

Naruto stood up at that moment. He grabbed several packages of ramen and then tossed one to Sasuke. "Come on. I'm hungry." Holding the eight packs in his arms, he walked towards the door. "We need to get our strength up for what's next."

"Which is what?"

His answer was that foxy grin of Naruto's. "So we can finally fix the problem with the Kisou Karyuu."

****

* * *

2:47 p.m.

**Sakura**

Panting steadily, Sakura wiped the sweat off her forehead, looking over the results she had just done. She could scarcely believe that the idea had worked. It had been so simple, yet it had not occurred to her before her little moment of clarity with the dirt. The wonders of life, she supposed.

The deck around her was drenched and there was a fair amount of mud from earlier as well. It had taken just under an hour for her to experiment on her new idea and get down the basics with the dirt. Taking yet another look of the ribbon in her hand, it too was now soaked with water. But her idea worked. She could use the technique now. She was limited to the ribbon itself, but she could use it.

While that was a big achievement on her part, it wasn't enough. The ribbon was as limiting as it was useful. And she needed to get to the point where she could use _that jutsu_ without the ribbon. Once she had done that, she would have mastered it fully. Her first original ninjutsu. Well... technically her second, since she had made another one due to her experimentation with the dirt, but that hardly mattered to her. This was the one that she needed to finish.

Leaning back to stretch her back and take a breath, she allowed a nice cool breeze to hit her. That felt just wonderful right now. She shut her eyes as she let the wind envelop her, her pink hair flowing with the wind. After a moment of this, she opened her eyes and placed the ribbon back in her pouch. She would no longer permit herself to use it. If she wanted to master this, she had to do it without the ribbon.

Sidelines or no, she was certain she would run into Mizore again. She needed to be able handle herself when it came to that again. She couldn't afford to let herself be beat down this time. No... this time, she would be able to beat _him_ down. For that instance, at least, she was going to handle herself and not to be saved. The other two could handle the others that came along, but Mizore was hers. She had a personal score to settle with him.

With that thought, she continued working, redoubling her efforts.

Mizore was going down.

Anyway she could manage it.

* * *

**Five Minutes Later...**

Naruto and Sasuke had entered the mess hall to eat and managed to engage in a casual conversation as they devoured their respective meals. Sasuke had forgone Naruto's offer of ramen and settled for a large bowl of soba, while Naruto eagerly dug into the nine bowls.

"Control? That's that damn frickin' problem? Control?!"

Naruto merely nodded as he took another wonderful bite of his ramen. It was too cruel to go without eating this! "More accurately, _too much _control." He had considered helping Sasuke work through the problem and come up with the solution himself. That would help Sasuke more in the long run if he was able to figure these things out for himself. But they were short on time and had many other things to do before they got to the Snow Country, so Naruto felt that the direct approach was needed here.

"Too much control?" Sasuke repeated dubiously, taking another mouthful

"Uh huh. Your chakra control is too freaking high and you're using too many Tori seals as well. Get rid of one or two of them. Loosen your grip on the control," Naruto replied. He couldn't help but think that the problem was fitting. Guy liked to control everything in his life and do things his way. Now he got to see what happened when you tried to control something too much... it burned your ass hard.

Sasuke didn't look convinced yet. Shoving his food aside momentarily, he gave Naruto a calculating look. "Isn't that the point? To make sure that I control it so well that it doesn't backfire?"

"That's what I thought at first too," Naruto conceded. "And I realized with one very simple statement on just how wrong that line of thinking is: 'Don't try to control the chakra, just let it flow. It knows what you want it to do, just let it.'"

"Meaning?"

Sighing, Naruto set down his chopsticks. "Meaning, that you're not letting the chakra do what you're telling it to do. You're trying too hard to force it do what you want, instead of letting it do what you want." Getting a puzzled expression in return, Naruto took a deep breath. "Think of it this way: your jutsu is a dog on a leash and you're holding the leash. You tell the dog to go attack an enemy, but you won't let go of the leash! The dog chokes on the leash, not able to continue on. Same basic thing: your jutsu is trying to go after the enemy, but because you're holding onto it too much, it can't seek out its target. Since you designed it to lock onto a chakra source, because it's not able to break free of your grasp, it goes after the only chakra source it can. You."

Sasuke pondered all this, letting it sink in his mind as he went over what Naruto was saying. "Then what about the times that it didn't backfire on me?"

Naruto had thought about that too. "Going back to the dog analogy, I'm guessing it's because when the dog started running, it jerked the leash out of your hands."

"So during those two times, my control slacked a bit, allowing the jutsu to continue on?" Sasuke finished.

"Basically," Naruto said, diving back into his ramen. "Loose up the control a bit and it'll work fine."

Sasuke merely 'hmphed' in his throat as he resumed eating.

* * *

**Twenty Five minutes later...**

On the deck of the ship, the two boys sprinted towards each other as they engaged in another round of punches and kicks. Unlike the previous fight between them, there was no anger or ill intentions between the two. This was just a friendly spar between two equals. This was the best way to prepare themselves for Snow, they had said. Until they could figure out more of that damned chakra armor, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu were virtually useless, so that left Taijutsu. Hence the reason for their spar.

Agreeing to prohibit themselves from the other two shinobi arts, the boys had been going at it for nearly twenty minutes straight right now, though they were breathing hard before. But neither one was willing to be the first to give in and ask for a break. While this may have seemed stubborn and thick-headed to an observer, it was pushing to the two boys to excel and go past their limits, not to merely meet them.

Of course, they didn't use the time to just spar. During the first ten minutes when they still had breath to spare, they discussed another thing that was on their minds: Hyouton. Both of them found themselves interested in this new ninjutsu type, but found themselves a small, but critical problem: how did they actually create and use the ice?

Based on what Sasuke had seen in his fight with Fubuki, there were at least two ways of using Ice. One was to actually form it; the other was to use surrounding ice. Unfortunately, how to create Ice was beyond them and they didn't have any existing ice on the boat to practice with. That didn't stop Naruto from yapping about the possibilities. He liked that Haryuu Mouko, for example. A technique to freeze and cancel out Suitons? That would be damn useful!

Once it become too troublesome to talk and fight at the same time, they settled on just pounding on each other. And quite enjoying it. Naruto jumped back from Sasuke's latest kick and landed with one foot on the deck. And slipped. Giving a surprised shout, he fell on his back, with the back of his head meeting the wooden deck soon after. A second later, Sasuke's foot stopped a centimeter from Naruto's throat. "I win..." he said, huffing and puffing.

"Shut... up..." Naruto said, pushing Sasuke's foot away. In response, Sasuke offered his hand. Naruto looked at it for a second, wondering if it was going to bit him. Giving a playful grin, he clasped the hand and was helped to his feet. "What did I trip on?" he asked, as he looked down.

It was a pair of sandals down there.

Naruto gave a silent curse as he picked them up. "Who the hell leaves..." he paused. He took a few sniffs. He recognized that scent. "These are Sakura's..."

"Sakura's?" Sasuke repeated. Why would she leave them out in the middle of nowhere? Now that he thought about it... "Where is she anyway?"

Naruto considered. When was the last they had seen her? The fight with the freak, for sure. Then what? All the people had cheered for them... then went their separate ways. So where did Sakura go during that time? The more Naruto thought about it, there seemed to be two likely options: her training area or her room. "You go check her room. I'll go check her spot."

Sasuke grunted, indicating an agreement. Naruto moved to the back of the boat, while Sasuke headed below deck. He found himself in front of her door and hesitated before knocking. After pulling his left hand from his check, he took a deep breath and prepared to knock.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!"

Sasuke flinched as he looked over his shoulder. No one was in the hallways, so he turned his attention back to the door. Did something give him away for her to shout like that? He didn't even do anything! That's when he realized that her shout didn't come from her room, but rather above.

With that in mind, he turned around and ran up the stairs, skipping every other step. He headed to the back of the ship. He didn't get far when Naruto came skidding across the deck on his back. He looked upward at Sasuke, revealing a large fist print on the left side of his face. _How appropriate_, Sasuke thought, forcefully keeping his left hand down. From his position, Naruto pointed to the rear of the ship. "Found her."

"What happened?" Sasuke asked in a resigned voice.

"I have no idea! She was working in the back, so I spoke up so that she knew I was there! She went off on me and shouted! I backed off, tried talking her, held up her sandals for her and the next thing I know, she socks me in the face and the next thing I know, I'm looking up at your charming face."

Sasuke closed his eyes. Great. Now she just seemed pissed. Without responding to Naruto, he walked around the other boy. Well... what was the worst she could do that she hadn't done already?

**

* * *

**

3:32 p.m.

Sakura

She was leaning against one of the railings, taking a break. She wasn't making any progress, so she had gone and grabbed a quick snack. Then as she started to get back to work, Naruto of all people came up to her. Not even close to being in the mood to talk to people, she told him to go away. Since he didn't take her advice, she introduced him to her fist.

Feeling somewhat better, she allowed herself to take a break to clear her head. Trying to see if she had missed something. Something to help her finish the damn thing.

"Sakura."

_Oh no... not _him...

Anger boiling again, she turned to look at the Uchiha walking towards her. She didn't need this now. "Go. Away," she said in a low tone, and Sasuke had to keep himself from flinching. He would have taken her yelling over that tone of voice. Sasuke just kept on walking, looking at her. She was angry, but it wasn't that type of angry she had used. She was angry at everything and very easy to set off. He knew that all too well. So... here was the million ryo question: what was the source of this anger?

At first, he figured it would be him. But she wouldn't lash out at Naruto if it was him. It was something else. Looking around, seeing all the water, mud and wreckage everywhere, he thought he knew.

"You're angry at him, aren't you?" he asked.

"Not him. You," the girl said, now walking forward towards him. He could see her fist already.

"I don't think so. It's Mizore isn't it? You want revenge, don't you?"

Sakura stopped in mid-step, her arm half way up. What? Revenge? Where did that come from? She didn't want revenge! She just wanted to make sure she didn't get beat down again... and beating Mizore to an inch of his life was rather appealing. She froze at that thought. But... that didn't mean it was revenge... was it?

"I know what that feeling is like, Sakura," Sasuke spoke again, getting her attention. She wasn't attacking him, so that was a good indication he was right. "I lost my entire family, remember? I know the bastard that did it and just how strong he was. I also know what he made me feel like when he shoved that power in my face." Taking a few careful steps towards her, he continued. "You felt weak, fearful. You don't want to feel that way again, so you're pushing yourself to be stronger. And you're angry. More angry than you've ever felt before. Because you can't help but feel that if you were stronger at that time, you could have prevented what happened. You could have stopped that man."

Sakura was silent, processing all this. Yes... she had felt that way. That was why she was working so hard to make sure it didn't happen again. And yes... she thought that if she had been stronger, she could have fought Mizore off and Kakashi-sensei might still be...

Sasuke took a good look at the girl, then made a dare. He reached out with his hand and placed it under her chin, raising her head up, her bright green eyes meeting his dark black ones. "Don't give into revenge, Sakura. If you do, you'll end up like I did: a forced loner who was never happy. Who felt that power was the only thing that mattered in life and almost threw everything away to get it. Don't take that path. Learn from my mistakes, just like I've learned things from you."

Sakura didn't say anything in response, though her heart was thumping loudly against her chest as she listened. She felt that she wouldn't be able to ignore him now, even if she wanted to. He was making sense, flat out admitting that he made mistakes and that he learned things from her? Was this really _Uchiha Sasuke_!? She had never seen see him like this. His words were strong, yet soft. The very being of his voice itself seemed to have this calming affect on her and his eyes were drawing her in. As if to comply, she found her head leaning towards him. "What... what should I do then?"

Sasuke wasn't entirely sure of his answer. He was more mesmerized by her face. Those pleading eyes looking for answers. She spoke in a way of someone calling for help. Her breath was fast and quick, like she had done some of Gai and Lee's morning training routines. Against his will... or was it his will?... he felt his own face inching forward. "I'm not sure I'm the right person to ask," he admitted.

"You... seem like it to me..." Sakura declared as they continued to lean towards each other, this faces slightly to the side.

"Do I?" Sasuke asked, not yet aware of what was going on. Their faces continued to move as he took a quick deep breath. "Well... I guess all I can tell you is to stop him for the right reasons... stop him from hurting you and others..." Itachi appeared in his mind's eye as he said all this. Was what he saying applying to Itachi as well? He was about to say more when he realized just what they were doing. And how their lips were nearly touching...

Like the time with Naruto's stupid prank, Sasuke found his mind going into overdrive. Oh... SHIT!! What were they doing!? They were about to _kiss_!! KISS!! Was this her idea, or... his? Was this a good thing, or a bad thing!? More importantly, WHAT THE HELL WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO!? Was she still freakin' angry at him or what!? Well... if they were about to... do that... she mustn't be angry, right? You don't kiss – URG!! THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN! - you don't... do that... with people you don't like!! What was he supposed to do, _what was he supposed to do!?_ They're lips were only centimeters apart from each other! CENTIMETERS!! Damn it... did he want this?! Was he supposed to let her do this!? If she was... that meant she was willing to talk right? Or at the very least she was willing to stand his presence.

And how all that ran through his brain in a split second, Sasuke would never know.

"Does this mean you're ready to tell me what the hell is wrong and what you want?"

Sakura stopped immediately. "Huh?"

"Are you ready to... talk now?"

"Talk?" she repeated as reality came back to her... and what she almost did. She backed off quickly while letting Sasuke's words flow in her mind. Was she ready to talk about that? She thought about it for a moment, then shook her head.

Sasuke nearly felt his top blow off. She _still _didn't want to talk about it!? Why the hell not?! They were getting along fine without one of them chewing each other out. They nearly kissed, for Kami's sake!! What more did she want!?

"Now's... not the time..." Sakura spoke up. She pressed a finger against his mouth before he could utter a protest. "I'm not ready to talk about it. That's all I'll say." She reconsidered and amended. "Except... thank you. For your words."

Sasuke breathed out hard. Fine, two can play that game. "Then I hope you can understand that I don't have to explain my actions to you if you're not willing to talk."

He saw her jerk and for a second, had that look in her eyes that would have sent him flying. Fortunately, he didn't meet any fist coming as she looked at him in resignation. "I... I guess that's fair..." She took a deep breath. "Thank you... now, I need you to go now. You gave me a lot to think about, even if it wasn't the problem."

Sasuke came very close to gaping at her. That wasn't the problem?! What the hell!? Then what fucking was!? What did this whole damned conversation accomplish then!? She still wouldn't tell him the problem, she still didn't use his name and now she just wanted him out!!

No... there was something different. She was no longer avoiding his gaze, and looking straight at him. No longer did her eyes hold that cold, dark, empty look at him when she did look at him. Instead there was a look of hesitation and confusion in them, but also of hope. Like they could work things out between them. Part of him was still angry that she was putting this off yet again. After all the effort he had made to compromise and talk, she still wasn't ready. It took a great deal of self-control to respect her wish. This time.

Still... he wasn't going to leave without some sort of idea of what was going on. "Alright... I'll go." He held up a single finger. "On one condition: You tell me what's going on back here."

She looked nervous as she pondered his request. "I was working on a... jutsu to help me when we got to the Snow Country. And Mizore as well. I don't think I was necessarily thinking about revenge on him... but he is one of my main motivations."

Sasuke looked at her stupidly. She was working on a jutsu? That was it? That's what she had been mad about? She must have met a stopping point, or some kind of roadblock. "Do you want help?" he asked, remembering how Naruto had helped him. "The dobe does know a thing or two about jutsu. But don't tell him I said that."

Sakura was already shaking her head at that. "No. Thanks anyway, but no. This is something... something I need to do myself. I have to prove that I'm not..." She didn't elaborate and Sasuke just looked at her. Prove what? What did she think she needed to prove? Seeing how she wasn't going to respond, he merely muttered. "Fine. If you reconsider... you know where to find us..." Without another word, he just turned and walked away. Sakura watched him go, then turned back to her own work.

Sasuke walked back and saw Naruto leaning against the railing. "So... how did it go? Did you kiss and make up?"

A smack on the head was Sasuke's reply.

* * *

**9:06 p.m.**

Once Sasuke had given Naruto the _brief_ details on what happened with Sakura, the boys wondered what they were supposed to do about it. Should they respect her wishes and stay out of it? Or should they try and help her do... whatever it was she was supposed to do? She was at a point where she needed help, but did that mean they were obligated to help her out, even if she was flat out against it?

Knowing full well that they wouldn't want anyone intruding on them during a jutsu creation, they resolved to leave her alone. For the time being. So they spent their time working on their taijutsu some more and worked on Sasuke's Kisou Karyuu. That took about two hours to fully work out just how much control to use, but in the end they got it down, much to the delight of both boys (though neither showed it, not that they needed to).

During all that time, they hadn't seen hide nor hair of their female teammate. A bit concerned, they both decided to... casually... go up to the sails and chat, where they might... _accidentally... _catch a glance or two of what was going on with Sakura. A bit hypocritical, maybe, considering how they would act if the situation was reversed, but time was rapidly running out and they all needed to be at their best. They couldn't afford otherwise, especially if the girl really did need help.

So when they got up to the sails they didn't even have to look because there was a loud yell from the back of the ship, followed by loud smashing sounds. That told them all they needed to know: it wasn't going well and Sakura was getting desperate, yet she still made no attempt to talk to either of them for advice. So that's what they had spent the last hour up till now doing. Sitting amongst the sails and _casually_ looking in the direction Sakura just _happened _to be in. During this last hour, they didn't say a word. They just kept on looking and saw further signs of more desperation and anger, as well as subtle signs of hopelessness and depression. Definitely not a good thing, especially when they would land in Snow tomorrow.

"So... what are we going to do?" Naruto asked out loud.

"I... have no idea..." Sasuke admitted. Neither one of them was even pretending at what they were doing now. This may be something to bite them in the ass in the future, but right now it was time to act and do _something._ The question was... what?

The two boys just sat there for the next few minutes, trying to think of what they could do to help her out and prevent themselves from becoming her personal punching bags as a result. "I have an idea..." Naruto spoke out softly, though he sounded like his stomach had just did a backflip. Without waiting for the Uchiha heir to respond, the blond told him.

"Are. You. Fucking. _SERIOUS!?" _Sasuke demanded.

"If you have a better idea, All High and Mighty, I'm all ears! But it worked earlier today and we don't have a lot of time left!"

Sasuke had to clench his jaw to prevent his next insult from coming out, as he thought on what Naruto had just said and thought back to that particular instance. It had snapped Sakura out of it then, so there was _some_ foundation on what Naruto had suggested. And there were similarities between now and then, so it _might _work. The problem was that if it didn't work, she was going to be worse off than she was now. And there were so many ways that it could backfire that it wasn't even funny.

Still... what else could they do?

Sasuke let out a hard breath of resignation. "Let's just try talking to her first. See if we can snap her out of that way... and if that doesn't work... you'll go about it your way..."

"Oh no..." Naruto shook his head furiously as he crossed his arms in front of him. "She's your girlfriend, so you're going to do it."

Sasuke shot Naruto a death glare about the girlfriend comment. "Hell no. It was your idea. _You're_ doing it."

The two boys just stared at each other as it started to sprinkle around them. Small raindrops came falling from the sky, crashing on everything around them, as well as themselves. In one motion both reared themselves backwards as they readied a fist, then shot them forward at a blinding speed, stopping only a few centimeters from each other.

Naruto's hand was a fist.

Sasuke's was flat.

"Paper beats Rock," Sasuke said smoothly, grinning proudly.

Naruto just stared at his fist in pure disgust while he muttered incoherently under his breath, shaking as he did so. Several veins looked ready to pop in his forehead. Seeing Sasuke's gloating face, he used the fist to punch him.

"What the hell did you do that for!?"

"Made _me_ feel better!"

* * *

**Sakura**

Sakura collapsed down on her hands and knees, breathing hard. It was no use... she was out of time and she still hadn't made the damn thing work! She didn't know what else she could do, other than have more time! And time wasn't something she had anymore. She could try to force herself to stay awake through the night, but she felt as if her arms and legs were lead, and her heart on overdrive. Any medic would tell her to stop and rest for the night now. Hell... _she _would tell herself that!

Was she really this useless? So pathetic that she couldn't complete just one jutsu for herself to help a little? Was she really supposed to stay on the frickin' sidelines and not fight at all!? Was she incapable of fending for herself even if it came to that? Was she supposed to just wait and be saved like some damned damsel!? At that, she slammed her fist into the deck. Wood broke apart as if it were glass as Sakura's fist made contact.

It was that moment when she noticed it was raining. Just how long had that been going on? Oh... she didn't care. She just stayed in that position, letting the rain fall on her, when her headband slipped out of her hair and landed on the deck, the metal plate with the leaf symbol visible for her to see.

For one long, eternal second, Sakura just stared at the item on the ground. Then her face exploded in fury. The headband was supposed to be proof that she was a shinobi of her village. Recognized as an adult, with the rank of Genin. Charged with protecting the Fire Country and Konohagakure. To accomplish a variety of missions to help secure that protection, as well as being babysitters, repair workers, painters, provide escorts, assassinations and whatever else Konoha required her to do. The headband was given to her because the village trusted her to be able to handle all these responsibilities. As a shinobi.

Her?

A shinobi?

WHAT A JOKE!!

She couldn't fucking do anything! She just damn useless! What right did she have to wear this blasted thing!? She felt tears stream out of her eyes and fall to the deck just as the rain around her did. With another intense glare at the thing, she smacked the headband away, sending it skidding across the deck.

She saw a vague figure dash across the deck and swap up her headband. "Whoa there! You got to be careful there, Sakura-chan! You don't want to lose this!"

Oh... great... just what she needed. She looked up to see Naruto giving a half smile towards her as he held out his hand, which held her damned headband. "I told you to leave me alone! Just go away - !"

"No." Came another voice from behind her. Jerking her head backwards, she saw Sasuke standing there, his arms crossed. "We left you alone long enough."

"GO AWAY!!"

"No."

"I SAID GO AWAY!!"

"No."

"GO AWAY, BASTARD!!"

"_No,_" Sasuke said more forcefully, though he felt his heart miss a few beats when she cussed at him specifically. Breathing out, he shot a look at Naruto. "You can back me up here anytime, dobe."

Naruto gave a small sigh as he walked over to Sakura and knelt down. "You heard the teme. No. Now what's wrong? We can help you - "

"Yeah, that's always what it is, isn't it!" Sakura yelled at him, tears still falling heavily. _Now _they wanted to know? "You help me! You keeping me safe! You keeping me out of the fighting! That's always how it is, isn't it?!"

Frowning, Sasuke looked at her questioningly. "What are you talking about?"

"What do you think I'm talking about!? You two assholes won't let me help you out! I can't fight side-by-side with you! I'm forced to be stuck on the damn sidelines! I keep getting in the way, you told me!! Stay out of it!! Well, I just proved to myself that you two were right!!"

Naruto shot a quick look at Sasuke, who gave an 'I'm-lost' look. Whatever they had talked about wasn't the heart of the issue, and from the looks of it, it hadn't even been close. Looking back down at the weeping girl, he spoke. "You proved that we were... right?" he asked hesitantly. The wording sounded foul in his mouth.

Sakura did something neither boy expected. She laughed. It was rough, short and had a bit of a cackle to it. And Kami help them, it sent a small shiver down their spines. "Yep! That's right! I felt that I could try and create a new move for myself, be able to hold my own if I had to fight! Only I didn't finish it in time! Just shows that I can't hold my own, can I? Just like you two said! So there you have it! You were right, I was wrong, so get the hell out of my sight!"

"We want to help you," Sasuke said, a hint of pleading in his voice. He walked a few steps forward, before Sakura shot a death glare at him, freezing the boy in his tracks.

"A little too late now, don't you think! I don't want your help! And even if I did, there's nothing you can do now! So why don't you two fuck off and leave me alone! You've helped more than enough! I can't stand at your side, so let me sit on the sidelines in peace already!"

The raven-haired "Kizuato" Uchiha looked over at his blond-haired "Sekigan" Uzumaki counterpart. So their desire to keep Sakura out of harm's way had backfired completely. She had wanted to prove that she could stand and handle the challenges to come as an equal, not as a cheerleader. Both to them, and to herself. Now... now she was just a mess that was unable to pull herself together and worse off. And time was short. If they had just confronted her just an hour earlier, things could have gone differently.

This whole team bonding was freaking harder than it should be. Why didn't the Academy teach this sort of thing in more detail!? Or... maybe they had, and Sasuke just tuned it out like he did the other non-fighting subjects. He suppressed a sigh as he met Naruto's gaze.

And gave a nod.

The next thing Sakura felt was a hard kick to her stomach from Naruto.

What the hell!?

The blow forced the air out of her stomach as she felt herself being launched into midair. Trying to regain her composure, she only saw Naruto in her face again. In one swift motion, he brought his leg up and delivered a big heel kick down on the girl who barely had time to block with her arms before being sent crashing down into the sea below. She sank below the surface as she moved herself upright. Channeling chakra to her limbs, she got on top of the surface of the water, taking a grateful breath of air.

"Alright, Sakura. You'll get what you want."

She looked up to see Naruto standing on the water, only a dozen or so meters away. "You want to fight alongside us? You want to show us all that you can hold your own with us? Fight side by side? Fine. Let's see you prove it. Here and now."

Sakura just gaped at him, hardly believing what he was saying.

"I'm coming at you full force, Haruno Sakura. Let's see how well you can stand the heat."

Up on the deck, Uchiha Sasuke just looked down at the sight, hardly believing they were resorting to this. One could say that this was the stupidest thing they could do. Sakura was tired from training all day on this mysterious jutsu. Plus, she had the least amount of fighting experience and jutsu that she could call upon, while Naruto was not at his limit yet and had all sorts of things up his sleeves. So why were they doing this to her?

Because it didn't matter if she won or lost. That wasn't the point. It was to get the Will of Fire within her burning again. If they could push back hard enough into a corner, make her mad and get that temper of hers worked up, then she would snap herself out of this. And who knows, this type of fight might reveal just how good she was in a straight-on fight. The results just might surprise everyone.

Of course, doing this might push her further into that depressed mood of hers. Perhaps even beyond recovery? But Sasuke didn't think so. When he and Naruto had "argued" with the shapeshifter freak, Sakura had reacted quite violently. She went from a frightened little girl to a battle-ready shinobi in a heartbeat. Sasuke was betting that with Naruto pushing her like this, they would get the same effect out of her.

At least... that's what he hoped for. Because this had to work... if it didn't...

Sasuke didn't want to think about what they would do if this didn't work.

* * *

**(Author's Notes) **Okay... this chapter is way late! But in my defense, it was justified this time around. This chapter is twice as long as the chapters I usually aim for. I know many are eager for the beginning of the Snow Country part of this story, and I'm beginning to feel that way as well. So with that in mind, I took the next two or three chapters of material into this one. And that took awhile to sort out. Even more so when some of the scenes I had planned for months didn't come out as smoothly as I wanted. Well... hopefully you all won't grill me that hard, heh heh.

With that in mind, the next chapter will kick off the Naruto and Sakura fight, the aftermath and the beginnings of the Snow part of this story. It ought to be quite thrilling, if I do say so myself.

So... quick check... we had Naruto getting love advice from Hidero, Makino being his usual annoying self, Naruto and Sasuke having another heart to heart talk, Sasuke and Sakura almost making up (and if Tellemicus hadn't mentioned that they hadn't kissed since the Wave Country, I just might have had them do it. Maybe next time, you two...), Sakura breaking down, and Naruto and Sakura about to fight.

Big thanks to my beta, Zoneshifter D, and most of all Tellemicus, especially for the Naruto and Hidero scene. You can all thank him for suggesting the idea to use Hidero as well as helping me iron out the details of Hidero's backstory.

**Katon: Kisou Karyuu **(updated)--_Fire Release: Homing Fire Dragon_/One of Sasuke's fastest attack ninjutsu. Taking the form of a dragon made of fire, the Kisou Karyuu is designed to lock onto an opponent's chakra signature and seek it out until it hits, causing significant damage if it manages to hit. Even if it fails, it provides an ample distraction for Sasuke to attack using another means. The key to this jutsu is not high levels of control, but rather a delicate balance. Too much and it'll backfire, but too little and it won't seek at all and just fly off in a random direction. The Kisou Karyuu can last about thirty seconds before it burns itself out. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Sasuke)

Karei – beauty

keigun'ikkaku – a swan among ducklings; a diamond among stones; a great figure among the common run of men

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to paintball-gamer for beta reading this!_


	14. Upping the Ante

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 14: Upping the Ante_

**(Author's Note) **Just want to point out a valid concern from the past chapter reviews concerning Sakura. Yes, she is quite tired and exhausted at the moment, but I personally would not label her as completely exhausted, and that she would have a little energy left. I'll have a more detailed justification for what I'm doing at the end of the chapter so I don't spoil anything here. In the meantime, just read what I have done in this chapter and decide for yourselves if I handled it correctly and accurately. If you do, great (and I'll breathe a big sigh of relief) and if you don't, that's understandable and I hope it wasn't too bad.

* * *

**9:23 pm**

Kaijo was always a worrier. That was how he grew up. He was the youngest of four siblings and two parents that held high expectations. As such, his younger years were spent worrying about how to please his parents and three older sisters. Each one of them always seemed to have different expectations and different reactions, so it was always a hassle of knowing what do to please his family because it was always different from person to person.

That wasn't to say he was on bad terms with them. They were warm and loving; it was just so... hard... to please any of them. If he did the dishes, one sister would say he used the wrong soap, his mom would say he didn't wash them enough, and another sister would say he did too much. Rarely was there a simple 'thank you' for doing the dishes, which was what he always hoped for. So when he did the dishes, he always wondered if he should use more, or less, and how long he should do it. And that was just doing a simple chore. Never mind all the other factors in his life: his other chores, life in school, being pressured to join this club, or that club.

His father had been the one he got along with the best. His father had been into sports proactively and always took Kaijo on many trips, such as hunting, games, and even encouraged Kaijo to join the school sports organizations. Kaijo himself didn't really care for sports – he had little athletic ability – but he enjoyed those times simply because he could sit back and relax. No worries or cares in the world. Unless his dad's team was losing; _then_ things could get nasty. But that's another story entirely.

That was what drew him to movies. He found them to be a direct, simple way to adjust and forget about his family issues. In the movies, there always seemed to be a form of companionship and a sense of understanding between characters, something he wished he could achieve with his own family. He could find such moments in any kind of movie: romance, comedy, adventure, science fiction, etc. It also never ceased to amaze him how... _alive... _the movies seemed to him. Entire worlds, nations, and circumstances existed in that one universe for only 90 minutes on average, yet the movie was still able to present and show a story. Completely fictional, yet the effort, motivation, perseverance and hard work that went into production just astounded him.

His first real step into the movie direction was the school's film club. His father had been ecstatic that he had finally joined something, though when he learned it wasn't sports, you could see the disappointment on his face, though he did try not to show it.

Kaijo found himself working in the director's position of the film club, organizing and leading his group to produce works. He wasn't too good at choosing the right people in the right position, but his little worrying habit actually became beneficial: he could see numerous possibilities, and was able to keep them focused and on task without getting sidetracked. He saw ways to meet deadlines and cut corners without compromising the material being used.

He had met Makino at a local competition when he was 17. That hadn't been such a good year for him. His film team was in shambles: One member was sick, another hadn't bothered to show up, their work had been messed up due to a paint accident and they had forgotten to bring some of the equipment. Kaijo had been furiously trying to reorganize what they had left while at the same time keeping himself from having a panic attack (which was a miracle in and of itself). Makino had been one of the judges in the competition that year and watched with heavy amusement, much to Kaijo and his team's frustration. To their surprise, however, Makino offered the entire team a full internship under him right on the spot; a move that not only shocked themselves, but virtually everyone else in the area.

So that was how he began his career under Makino, the infamous 'Miracle Worker' that he was called. And the reason he was known by that name was because with all of his last minute changes and additions, it was truly a miracle that his movies came out so well. Especially since his methods were known to drive his people mad with all his changes, which made working under the director quite difficult.

Kaijo could still remember the first movie he had really worked on with the man, it being the first movie of the Princess Gale series. It involved a scene with a demon overlord fighting Gale and her men when Makino suddenly decided to bring in a swarm of mercenary samurai for a three-way battle without any prior acknowledgment of these men or why they were relevant to the story. Kaijo immediately went into his 'worry mode' about how that would conflict with this and that of the story and how they could possibly fit it into the movie. Halfway through his little worry rant, Makino cut him off, and Kaijo was sure he was fired. Instead, the man smiled and merely said 'of course you're right!', a statement that was completely foreign to the young man as Makino delayed his mercenaries' entrance for later in the movie.

So with that, Kaijo was promoted to Assistant Director, and he had to admit that they made quite a team. Makino had the skills for choosing the right people for the job, while Kaijo had the means to keep it together without driving the crew insane, and they were both flexible in their work to be able to accommodate each other's needs and whims.

As a result, Makino's movies went from booming with success to outright _exploding_ with it.

Right now, in the present, Kaijo was going firmly into worry mode. He was with a few other members of the cast and crew, having been lured over by the shouting and yelling. Here, two of their shinobi bodyguards were about to fight: Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura. The latter looked dead on her feet, and from what he knew, was the least experienced and skilled among the team, while the former was considerably better off and more talented. He was her superior in techniques, stamina, maybe even speed, and those hand-to-hand skills as well. And they were fighting for a reason that they kept to themselves. He normally would have started his usual panic speech, but stopped like everyone else did.

It was their third teammate, still on board the ship, gripping the railing as if it was a life preserver. Like he was forcing himself to stay out of it and watch, and not just stop it. Perhaps it was the falling rain and wind that was picking up, but Uchiha Sasuke was definitely nervous and not happy about the situation. That sight of him just froze Kaijo and the others in their tracks.

At least... it did the normal people. Makino was buzzing around getting a small music composition together behind the boy's back for a small music piece of the _romantic_ kind, as well as the _cameras. _Kaijo could already see the result on the big screen. The camera focusing on close-ups on both his and her face. The music beginning, then slowly growing stronger throughout the scene, with occasional split screens and fade-outs on them.

Kaijo almost formed the words of protest, thinking this wasn't the time or the opportunity, but he held his tongue. He had no idea what to do in this situation, nor did he want to inevitably make things worse. That was one advantage he had with being Makino's Assistant Director: the blame always went directly to him and Kaijo could safely hide in the background.

Besides... it _would_ be a very nice scene...

* * *

Sakura was breathing hard as she came to her feet. What was Naruto, insane? First they wanted her to stay out of the fighting and now he was forcing a fight on her? What was he trying to prove now? She already knew that she wasn't cut out for the front lines, dammit! Did they really have to drive the nail in with this stunt?!

Naruto jerked his thumb back at the ship. "The thing's moving pretty fast, _Sakura_." He said her name hard, as if he needed to make sure of who he was talking to. "I'd guess there's only about ten minutes before it's out of sight. If you don't want to be completely left behind, you'd better get past me, at the very least. If you don't..." he gestured around, at all the water as far as the eye could see. "Well... I hope you'll be ready for a _long _swim."

The girl just stared at him. What? What was he saying? He wouldn't seriously... her thoughts trailed off for two reasons. The first was that dangerous look in his eye. That same one he had used on her when she had stolen his scrolls. The same one he had used when he fought against Neji in the finals. That serious look that said 'I'm-going-to-kick-your-ass-hard-asshole'. The second one was the Oboro springing to life around him as he brought his fingers together, muttering those words and making more of him appear. Twelve in all.

Naruto casually pointed at two of the clones, then pointed directly at her. Those two took a step forward and for a moment, just stood there. Sakura gave a very loud gulp. Naruto wouldn't really... would he really leave her out...?

At that, the two Narutos took off running at her. She felt her chest seize up as they split off in two separate directions, coming at her from both her left and right sides. The first one came at her, a punch slamming into the side of her face. Sakura jerked back, still not believing this was happening as the other Naruto kicked her across the chest, making her fall on the water. She tried to get up, before noticing the first Naruto coming at her again. So instead, she just rolled out of the way. Taking some effort, she got back up to her feet as that Naruto came at her. She just stumbled backward, trying to get away, but his fist still struck her in the stomach. She wheezed out as she felt the other Naruto's arms behind her. In a swift motion, the clone put her in an arm lock. Looking back in horror, she watched that Naruto jump backwards into the water, taking her down with him.

She took a couple of gulps of water before she managed to hold her breath, while the clone Naruto dragged her further underwater. She attempted to struggle, but the clone's grip was firm. Just how far was Naruto going to take this?! She looked up at the surface and saw it steadily growing farther away. The further they went, the more worried she became. Was Naruto really trying to drown her? Was she going to be killed by her freaking teammate!? How cruel was that supposed to be!?

That's when she felt the squeeze.

It was like someone had thrown a switch, or electrocuted her. Kage Bunshin Naruto did _NOT JUST DO THAT__!!!_ He did _not just __**grope her chest**_ like that!! Pure rage flooded into her, replacing the fear and sorrow as she felt new energy surge into her. She broke free of the weakened armlock and drove both of her elbows into the clone, making it disperse despite the water resistance, a testament to how strong that strike was. Sakura then made her way to the surface. Naruto was DEAD!!! She was going to tear him limb from limb and make him eat those limbs!

The remaining Narutos watched as the girl made her way to the surface like a missile, having been able to see what was going on down there due to the lanterns on the ship. Barely, true, but still enough. Normally, Naruto wouldn't have resorted to something like that, but the apparent drowning wasn't working, and as the saying went: desperate times called for desperate measures. Besides, it wasn't like anyone would know. This wasn't being filmed and Naruto seriously doubted any cameras could view it even if it was.

Believe it or not, the cameras actually did.

The girl surfaced again, striking the first clone out of existence. She then began gasping for breath, though you could still see the rage in her eyes. After taking a few precious seconds of heavy breathing, she attempted to stand up straight, but nearly fumbled over as a result. As a result, she put her hands on her knees, still breathing hard.

Naruto held up two fingers with his hand and pointed at his right, then left, then directly at Sakura again. Four more Narutos took off running at her. The girl's head jerked upwards as she heard the Narutos coming at her. Trying to steady herself, she waited for them to come.

The first one came with a right hook at her. Keeping her eyes focused as much as she could, she tilted her head to avoid the blow. She grabbed his arm, then delivered a devastating chop to him, making it puff into smoke. A second one came and punched her on the side of the face, her being too slow right now to dodge it. Growling under her breath, she bashed that Naruto in the head, sending him crashing into the water below. That's when she felt someone jump on her back as the fourth Naruto came at her. Reaching behind her, she grabbed him and hurled the blond clone at the other one. Though she collapsed halfway through the throw, she still managed it. On all fours, she took a few more careful breaths as her muscles screamed 'air!'

That's when she saw the remaining Narutos running at her, determined not to give her a chance to catch her breath. As if a chance was all she needed. She wanted a freaking _hour_ at least!

The first Naruto came up with a kick at her. She only had time to bring her arms up to block the blow, causing it to send her rolling across the water. Two Narutos grabbed her by the arms, then flung her towards another Naruto, who slammed his fist into her face. Giving a gasp of pain, she felt herself fall on top of the water again, another Naruto already coming. Desperate, she took out several shuriken and flung them at him, who easily dodged. Another Naruto came behind her, but she sweep-kicked him off his feet, then punched him out of existence. She stood up as she saw three more coming at her. She ran towards them – though it was more like a stumbling walk – to the middle one. He blocked her first punch, so she spun and blindsided him with her other fist. She quickly reached out and grabbed the other two (though not before each managed to land a blow on her) and slammed them together. The fifth one came as she drove her elbow into his stomach, making him vanish as she fell to one knee, panting again. Looking up, she saw the final one coming.

_So this must be the real one,_ she thought as she took another few breaths. He came running at her, another kick ready. She let herself fall to the water on her back as she brought her foot up, right on his... sensitive area. Naruto's face lit up in pain as he let out a holler. "Payback really is a bitch, isn't it N-," Before she could finish, it exploded in her face. What? But... that was the last one. Desperately, she looked around. If... if that wasn't the last one, then where was...?

A sharp pain in her back was her answer, as Naruto appeared from the water with his uppercut. Sakura jerked in pain as Naruto grabbed her hair and brought her to head level. "Word of advice," he whispered in her ear as she squirmed in pain. "If you're going to fight dirty, then don't complain about what happens to you." With that, he punched her directly in the back, then side-kicked her. She went flying through the air as he prepared to make a new batch of clones, but then saw two kunai coming right at him while Sakura lay on the water. He moved to block them, but then he saw her form the tiger seal. That's when he saw pouches on the ends of the kunai as they exploded, small little papers fluttering around him.

Not trusting these things, he quickly formed the Kaze Tate. After uttering the name, massive winds exploded around him, blowing all those little papers away from him. Well, whatever they were, he didn't have to worry... that's when he saw a kunai with an exploding tag right in front of him.

_Uh oh..._

The tag exploded, resulting in a monstrous firestorm, lighting up the entire area for what had to be miles. Sakura was down on one knee again as she breathed hard, trying to get what rest she could. She wiped her forehead as her eyes scanned the water. "Come on... out… Naruto. You wouldn't fall... to something... like that."

For a second, there was no answer. Then, about five meters in front of her, the upper half of Naruto's face appeared, glaring at her from the water. It seemed that he managed to avoid the inferno by simply cutting off the flow of chakra to his feet and submerging in the water.

"The fight with... Orochimaru… in the Forest… of Death..." she said, talking slowly to him to play for time.

"What about it?" he demanded, his head fully emerging with the sentence.

"Your... fight with Kiba... in the preliminaries..." she went on, as if not hearing him. "Your match… with Neji in the finals... your struggle with Gaara outside our village... your rematches with both Neji and Kiba..." She could feel her breath catching up a little. Not enough by far, but every little bit she could get now put her in a better position. "I've seen you fight... as much as our teammate... maybe even more than him." She looked directly into his eye. "I know how you work, Uzumaki Naruto... I know your tricks... your strategies... the way you think... your style..." She tried to gather as much force as she could. "_Will not work on me."_

Naruto's eye darkened as he finished the seal sequence. "Then you should know what happens to those that underestimate me! Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

Sakura gave an involuntarily jerk as the Water Dragon erupted in front of Naruto. She figured Naruto would use her stalling to his advantage somehow, but she wasn't ready for something like that. She waited for the right moment, then forced her tired body to jump over the dragon, landing on its head.

She was too slow.

The dragon moved quickly enough to slam into her. She gave a small scream as it rose into the air, gaining height so that it could slam her into the ocean. That would knock her out cold, even if she was in peak condition (ignoring the fact that if she was in peak condition, she wouldn't be in this mess!). She had to get on top of the dragon's head! That was the safest place to be from this attack. She glanced downward to see the ocean nearing closer and closer. Now or never... so with that, she took hold of the water and propelled herself upward.

Right into Uzumaki Naruto's waiting fist.

Sakura jerked backward as another few punches connected on her, sending her off the water dragon as it crashed into the sea. Naruto followed her, aiming a right kick at her. This time, she managed to bring up a block with her arms. Grabbing hold of his leg, she pulled him towards her and slammed her right fist into him as hard as she could.

This time, it was Naruto's turn to go flying backwards, while Sakura took in a few more deep breaths, trying to just stand upright at the moment. After skipping across the water for a little bit, Naruto placed his hands on the water, then backflipped as he landed on his face. After rubbing his tender left cheek, he reached behind him and pulled out an exploding tag. He then casually flung it out in front of his face as he made a series of seals.

"Fuuton: Kaze Oshiyaru!"

His wind blast caught the exploding tag and ignited it. Fueled by the winds, the flames erupted through the entire jutsu, sending a fiery column straight from hell directly at the girl.

And who said you needed to know Katon in order to use fire?

She gave a small shriek as she jumped to the side to avoid it. Naruto merely turned his head in that direction, turning his flames towards her. She managed to run and dodge his flames until he ran out of breath, but he accomplished what he wanted: not giving her the opportunity to try and rest. As his little combo dispersed into thin air, he took off running towards her at full speed, sending a right punch towards her. This time, she caught it with her hand, then brought her right fist back, then plowed it forward at him. He brought up his other arm in an attempt to block as her punch entered his blind spot. He waited for that punch to connect with his arm, but it never came. Curious now, he carefully tilted his head over to find out why.

Sakura's hand was making series of one-handed seals.

_SHIT!!_ She never intended to punch him! She just wanted him to think she was so she could move her hand into his blind spot and start making seals where he couldn't see! And speaking of which... since when the fuck could _Sakura _do _**one-handed seals**_!?!?!

Not wanting to fall victim to a genjutsu, he moved his left hand forward to intercept, but Sakura was one step ahead of him as she slammed her forehead right in Naruto's face. The black and orange clothed boy gave a small jerk of the head as his hands came up instinctively to ease the pain on his face. Guess that big forehead had some uses after all...

That's when he felt the effects of her genjutsu starting, snapping him back to the present. The red and pink clad girl held the tiger seal, looking a bit dizzy and disoriented. Shit, which one was it? The Haruno Sakura? The Aikurushii Sakura? A new one? His head looked around furiously to try and identify the effects of what it was, only to realize that it was fading as quickly as it came. What the…? Looking at Sakura, he saw that she was equally surprised. Just what was happening?

A second later, the genjutsu faded out entirely, and the two just looked, a silent truce forming at the moment for them to try and understand what had happened. Naruto's head began buzzing. Could she have failed the genjutsu because she did it one-handed, or because she was tired? Or even both? Looking at the girl, he saw that she was looking directly at him, her eyebrows slowly rising in realization. So she figured it out? Something about him? He quickly looked at himself. He hadn't done anything to counter her illusion and the only jutsu he had active was... his Oboro...

That sent Naruto's mind on warp drive as he began to think about everything he could about genjutsu. His Oboro was a constant outlet of pure chakra all over him, protecting him from the illusion. He shook his head, deciding to work out how it happened exactly later. He was in the middle of a fight right now and couldn't afford to spend more time thinking about it. Locking eyes with Sakura, the silent truce ended as the two held their hands at their sides, each ready to make their next move.

Sakura moved first, with one hand coming up to guard herself, while the other pulled something out of her weapon's pouch. That dancing ribbon thing. With a quick motion, he grabbed a shuriken from his leg holster and threw it at the ribbon. It hit the top portion of the ribbon and knocked it out of her hand. She looked in horror as the ribbon sank below the surface in the depths below.

"You don't really think I'm going to let you do whatever it was you were doing with that, do you?" The one-eyed shinobi asked in sarcasm. He then held up his right hand so she could see it clearly as he ran through the seals again, his Kaze Kiwa forming right there. "I'm ending this now."

The girl felt her heart cringe. Oh... this was bad. She didn't know if he would actually hit her with that or not, but she knew every time he used that move, he was serious. She took a few involuntary steps back as her mind tried to think of a way to counter. Surprisingly, the answer came rather quickly. The problem was that the jutsu she needed didn't work. Not without the ribbon. But what choice did she have?

Naruto moved towards her while she backed away, forming the seals as best she could. Please let this work! Naruto watched with his eye as a rope-like strand of water jumped up from the sea. Before it was halfway to her, though, it broke and splattered apart.

_Nooooo!!!_ she screamed mentally. She didn't have time to form any other sort of reaction as Naruto came in. In desperation, she ducked underneath the blow, causing it to just barely miss her head. She then aimed a kick at his knee. He dodged that easily enough, so she quickly diverted her foot to his other leg. This time, he couldn't dodge as it connected, forcing Naruto off balance. Before he could recover, she slammed both of her fists into his chest. The blow sent Naruto skidding back across the water. He rubbed his tender spot with his hand, while Sakura collapsed yet again. _What can I do?_ she asked herself between gasps for air. She didn't believe she would able to counter Naruto again. She could feel a slight but growing daze in her mind as her body screamed for rest. It was becoming a hassle to just keep her eyes open, let alone fight back.

She should just give in. Give up. But the words wouldn't form in her mouth and not because she was tired. It was more like her mouth wouldn't accept her saying them. Maybe because both of her teammates' pride and stubbornness had rubbed off on her more than she realized, but she wasn't going to quit. Not while she was still conscious and had some chance. She wasn't going to stop. No matter how much her body wanted her to.

As she looked back up at Naruto, she saw him flanked by four more Kage Bunshins, clearly taking no chance this time around, and in that moment, it was like time stopped. A moment of true clarity. With that, she lifted herself off the water. Still on her knees, she ran through the same five seals she just attempted.

The move she was attempting again, what she had been working on all day, was what she had named Mizu Hoippu. Water Whip.

She had gotten the idea from watching the dancers on the night of the party, when Naruto said 'As fluidly as water and as skillful as whips.' The idea had seemed very simple at the time. Making the water like a whip. As she quickly discovered, it wasn't nearly as easy as she thought it would be.

So she began practicing with the water, trying to get the feel of the basics for it so she could mold it into a weapon. She figured that she could control it through both skill and chakra control, letting her move it in any way she could. Both naturally and unnaturally. That was why she had been practicing with the ribbon when Naruto came to her to teach her the Doryuuheki; it had been the closest thing to a whip she had to practice with.

That little delay in her training had actually been beneficial to her. After the fight with the freak, she had gone to the back of the boat and noticed the dirt clinging to her hands, which gave her the idea to do something similar with her jutsu: make the water stick to the ribbon. After a little bit of experimenting with the earth, she used the ribbon as a medium, channeling chakra through it and making the water stick to the ribbon. It limited how she could use the jutsu some, but it was working. That was the moment she felt a real sense of success and accomplishment.

Then came the hard part: making the water whip solely out of water. That was what she had been struggling with for most of the day. No matter what she tried, no matter how much chakra or control she put into it, she couldn't get the water to keep the form of the whip. It would just break apart again and again and again. It drove her mad, wondering just what she was missing for the key element to make this thing work. And a few moments ago, she got her answer.

She was too frustrated. Too angry.

She wasn't able to be calm. She couldn't focus and concentrate adequately. She had rallied too much on her excellent chakra control skills, instead of remembering the key fact that it took a calm and concentrated mind to utilize chakra control. Advice she herself had told her _other teammate_ back in the Wave Country. She found it ironic that she discovered this answer in the heat of battle, where a calm, rational mind was the place you'd least expect to be in such a state, yet that was also the time you needed to be in that state of mind.

There was no hesitation in her mind now, no doubt as she finished the fifth and final seal.

The water answered her call. Leaping up from the ocean, it formed a rope-like weapon that extended from her two fingers on her right hand. Still breathing hard, she launched her water whip. It streaked forward, piercing the first Naruto's chest. She flicked her wrist as it slammed into the second one. With a small circular motion, she wrapped the water around the third Naruto's ankle and threw him against the other two. The clone was caught, but the original jumped over the two, as he came flying down right at her. Kaze Kiwa still ready.

In response, Sakura gestured her wrist again and the water whip moved like a snake, shooting itself directly at Naruto's Kaze Kiwa. The tip of the wind technique met the tip of the water jutsu as the two collided. The wind drilled at the water, splashing it in all directions, but more and more of the whip forced its way through.

Naruto watched in disbelief as the tip of the Kaze Kiwa began to collapse inward as a result of the whip's force. Wind continued to shred water while water continued to push, and the wind's tip went from resisting to struggling, until it shattered completely. The boy's eye screamed pure disbelief as the water dashed onward while the raging winds died out, wrapping itself around Naruto's arm like a snake and moving towards Naruto's throat. Naruto barely had time to bring up his other hand to prevent himself from being strangled as the water wrapped around his neck. How the hell did his _**Kaze Kiwa**_ fail!?! That one never failed!!

"What... did you... do?" Naruto demanded, torn between yelling at her for breaking the Kaze Kiwa of all things and being amazed that she had broken it.

"Your... Kaze Kiwa..." Sakura said slowly, still on her knees and other hand on the water for support as well. "Focuses your... chakra on a... single starting point... the tip. From that... spot... you generate a... sp-spinning motion down your... arm... that means... the rest of the... jutsu... is depe-pendent on the tip. As long... as you have that starting point... spinning... your jutsu will work... but just the opposite is true..."

"If the spinning point goes," Naruto finished for her, understanding coming to him. "So does the rest of the jutsu." In a way, it was like what happened with a house of cards when you removed just one card from it: the whole thing came tumbling down. Disrupt the tip of the Kaze Kiwa and the rest of the whirling winds lost their focal point and control, making them crash in on themselves. Why hadn't he seen that little flaw before? Sure, it wasn't easy to exploit, but if the weakness did exist, then he needed to know about it. He briefly wondered how she figured it out, when he realized it must have been from when she... _borrowed_... his scrolls. The old anger slowly surfaced knowing that she was using that knowledge against it, but it was also being replaced by curiosity: if she discovered one weakness he hadn't known about, had she found others?

"S-surrender..." he heard her say slowly. She looked ready to pass out right there. "I've... got... y-you..."

Naruto made no answer as he quickly studied his situation: he had this water whip wrapped around his right arm and around his throat. His left hand was bound next to his throat, but that also prevented him from being strangled. Looking at the water, he wondered how she controlled its movement so precisely. Chakra control? Perhaps. So... if he broke that water in two... the part that was still connected to her hands would definitely work, but the part he cut off would lose that chakra control and its solidified form, making it fall back to water. With that thought, he raised his right leg for a kick directly at her water line.

As it turned out, it wasn't necessary. Before his foot got even halfway up, the water whip broke apart on its own, Sakura no longer able to maintain it. She slammed her fist on the water again and again. Naruto looked at the girl for a minute, knowing exactly how she felt to have victory in her grasp, only it taken away. Maybe they should stop now. She was fighting back, no longer depressed. Objective accomplished, right? Naruto opened his mouth to suggest they stop when she struggled back to her feet. She wobbled a bit and almost toppled over again. Sweat was falling down her face as surely as the rain around them, her legs shaking, trying to support her weight. Her breathing was heavy and erratic.

"Sakura..." he started, as she put her hands together. Oh boy... she wasn't stupid enough to...

Four more Sakuras appeared on Sakura's left and right.

Never mind... yes she was. Naruto shook his head. He was flat-out amazed she was still standing. How much of this was just pure willpower and not just stamina or chakra? He gave a sigh as he shook his head. Fine... if she wanted to play this out to the end, then she would just have to get it the hard way.

He watched as the Sakuras overlapped each other into a straight line as Naruto rushed them. The Sakuras all jumped back as one, then split in four directions. Naruto punched the first one through the face, making it vanish. He then charged the next one, dispersing it with a kick through the chest. Looking up, he saw the last two slowly backing off, both of them panting. So the last remaining clones were faking being tired, huh? Well... this wouldn't take long.

A grin quickly slid onto his face as he suddenly felt quite pleased with himself at that moment. She was doing considerably better than he thought she would. He briefly wondered what the fight would have been like if she was at her best. That grin became a smile. It was a perfect chance to really see what she was made of... and maybe get her back real good for that nasty temper of hers. Paradise!

He threw two shuriken at the remaining two Sakuras, both of which dodged. He chased down the one on the left, who couldn't move fast enough to evade, disappearing with his left hook. "Last one," he said in a cheery voice. He was quite happy at the moment. "Game's up, Sakura. Time to quit."

She was just breathing hard, shaking her head as she slowly walked backwards. Naruto began walking towards her, no longer caring if he finished this fast or not. She wanted to drag her misery out like this? Fine with him. He was winning, after all.

"You're... dead..."

Naruto felt himself stop halfway to Sakura, feelings of happiness, contentment, and pleasure rapidly disappearing. It was like he had woken up from a dream. Except instead of waking up in bed, he felt a weak grip on his arm and the flat side of a kunai pressed against his neck. As he looked behind himself, he felt that cool, flat metal slide across his neck. Behind him was another Sakura, looking quite dead on her feet and nearly pale white as the one in front of him disappeared. She moved the kunai away from his throat as comprehension dawned on him. He had only been fighting _four _Sakuras as opposed to what should have been five: the four clones plus the original. How could he have made such a stupid mistake!? It couldn't be a simple matter of underestimating or miscounting! He wouldn't make such a mistake, so what could have been...

"Your Haruno Sakura genjutsu..." he said, the words coming out from his lips before his mind could fully comprehend it. That had to be it. He couldn't think of anything else that would cause him to lose focus like that.

Sakura merely nodded, trying to catch her breath and remain standing. "How? You're too..."

"It... wasn't the... full... genjutsu..." she managed to choke out. Looking behind her, she saw the ship was still in the same place as when they started. It hadn't moved at all. That was nice to know. "I... couldn't do the whole thing... but I... didn't need to... just a few moments... long enough to make you... complacent... while I snuck up... behind you..."

Naruto breathed out, getting the jist of the plan: Sakura had the four bunshins overlap her to conceal her so she could go underwater and hide while she took the time to perform her genjutsu. She couldn't do the entire thing, but she didn't need to. Only the beginning parts of it making him feel happy and content before the serene feeling kicked it. Just enough to make him unaware of his surroundings so she could sneak up. That was why the bunshins backed off and stalled: they were playing for time to get Sakura in position.

"How the heck did you get your genjutsu to work the second time?" Naruto asked, letting his Oboro shut off.

She began talking about stuff he didn't fully grasp and that was probably because she was too busy panting and gasping for breath. There was something about shielding his tenketsu, clearing his senses and that it was only as effective as his skill with it. He basically got the fact that his Oboro shielded him from Genjutsu, but the catch was that higher level genjutsu were harder to dispel, which made his Oboro less effective. Sakura had figured out that key fact before he had and used it against him. He opened his mouth to compliment her move when the kunai dropped out of her hands. He then watched her fall backwards in slow motion. She didn't fall far until someone caught her.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Her head was resting on his left arm as he supported her weight. She was too tired right now to complain, though truthfully, she found it quite comfortable. Warm... soft... was this what laying on his lap was like? Yeah... she could stay here awhile. It was nice...

"Don't pass out on us yet," Sasuke told her softly as he supported her weight. She seemed so light right now. He looked directly at Naruto and didn't even bother hiding the grin from him. "So, how's it feel to lose to her?"

Sakura gave a small smile as if someone had made a poor joke, while Naruto felt like a lightning bolt had struck him head-on as the reality of Sasuke's statement sunk in. HE LOST!?!? TO _**SAKURA**_!?! No way! He didn't lose! He... he... he just… well... he... that memory of the words 'you're dead' and the kunai pressed against his throat reared its ugly head as he grabbed his head in complete despair. HOW THE HELL COULD HE LOSE!?! TO HER!?! He beat Kiba! Neji! Gaara! Gave that Kabuto-teme a beating! Sasuke! How the hell did he lose to Sakura when she was tired and exhausted!?! The universe really was coming to an end!

After his self-imposed pity party, Naruto looked at the other two and got back to the matter at hand. Deliberately not mentioning the results, he commented "Well, Sakura, I think you just proved to everyone that you can hold your own in a fight. Now, the question is... what do you want to do?"

From her place on Sasuke's arm, the girl just looked at him bewildered.

"You have two choices. Either you can stay on the sidelines like you were proclaiming a while ago..." Naruto started, then allowed Sasuke to jump in. "Or you can fight side by side with us. Whatever decision you make, we'll support you. So, do you want to fight, or do you want to support?" the Uchiha heir finished.

Sakura found the answer to that question immediately. Maybe it was because of the battle or maybe it was because she was so tired she wasn't thinking clearly. Slice it however you want, she still came up with the same answer. "F-fight..."

Naruto gave her a thumbs-up, while Sasuke gave a small smile. "Then there's only one thing to do." As if on cue, Naruto reached into his pouch and took out her headband. With a small smile of his own, he said "Let's put this back where it belongs." Hovering over the girl, he tied it around her forehead. "Now you're ready."

Sakura hadn't felt this good in a long time. The headband now felt right on her, like it belonged there and wasn't just for show. In response, she gave the biggest smile she could manage for them. With that, she closed her eyes and entered the blissful realm of sleep right there. It was unfortunate that she couldn't stay awake just a few more minutes, for if she had, she would have heard the applause and the cheering. Applause and cheering that was exclusively for _her._ For one Haruno Sakura. But even if the girl had been awake, she wouldn't have cared. She got her two teammates' respect and vote of confidence. That was enough.

Sasuke scooped up the girl in his arms as they made their way back to the ship. Sakura seemed to just snuggle herself in his hold, something that made the Uchiha's face go red again. Once they got on the ship, they found that the movie crew was still applauding. The two boys hushed them down, while Sasuke deliberately avoided making any eye contact for fear of dying of embarrassment if he did.

Naruto scanned the crowd carefully. "None of you people _filmed _any of that, did you?"

"Of course not!" Makino replied cheerfully, having just hidden the cameras and instruments moments ago.

The one-eyed boy merely snorted as they walked past the bastard director. Koyuki herself passed through the sea of people and came right up to them. "Come on, you," she told Sasuke in that tone that wouldn't take no for an answer. "We need to get her in bed and out of those wet clothes. We've got some electric blankets for her, which should help with some of the soreness in the morning that she'll be feeling."

Sasuke, if such a thing was possible, went as red as Hinata did at the words 'out of those wet clothes'. He gave a small gulp as he began following the actress. Naruto decided to walk with them, anxious to see more of Sasuke embarrassed like this. If only he had a camera to preserve the moment!

Koyuki caught Naruto's eye, then Sasuke's face. "_I'll _be the one taking care of her. You two perverts only need to bring her to her room."

Sasuke's face returned to normal at that, despite the pervert comment. Oh well... it was fun while it lasted.  
"So why are you being so helpful?" Naruto pressed, slightly suspicious at her sudden generosity.

"Because there are some times when a woman simply needs to help out her fellow woman," Koyuki responded, looking directly at him. "Since they can't trust the males to do the job properly. At least you didn't damage your jacket this time around, reckless idiot."

Normally, Naruto would have snapped back at her, but that last comment made him freeze. Not believing that this could be true, he took a few careful sniffs.

It was the same scent...

The one on the card by his restored jacket...

"No way... _you_ were the one who fixed my jacket!?" Naruto demanded.

Koyuki didn't so much as blink. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

* * *

**Snow Country, Daimyo's Castle, 10:45 P.M.**

"Let me get this straight... you three lost... not to the Copy Nin... but to three _brats?"_

Nadare was kneeling in front of the current ruler of Snow, the three of them having just returned only an hour earlier. "If I may say something, we didn't so much as lose as much as get... held off," he said, trying to keep his face composed, and his voice steady. "But Hatake Kakashi is out of the way, so - "

The man's fist slammed on the arm of the throne. "I don't want to hear your excuses! You three, my San Eihei, were defeated by mere _**children**_!!!"

The three of them were inside the throne room of the Daimyo's Castle, which had been built on top of the ruins of the old Kazahana one. The man's throne was erected on a small stairway so that those around him had to look up to him, both figuratively and literally. At the base of the stairway stood two Yuki nin. They were dressed in the usual fashion as one would expect of Snow Ninja. Sturdy boots with thick white wool pants and jacket, though the sleeves were a darker blue. They wore a hood and mask, with only the eyes uncovered, though even some Yuki nin wore goggles to protect from the weather. They wore a standard kunai holster on both legs and several packs along the waistline, as well as on the chest area. They wore metal gauntlets over their wrists and forearms, as well as grieves over their shins. Two other noticeable pieces of their attire was the small metal box they wore like a backpack, and right beside their left shoulders was a small silver insignia of a steel fist. The Daimyo's personal sigil.

The throne room itself was fairly large and spacious, as it lacked any real decorations one might expect. No valuable paintings or statues, or fine displays of wealth. Not even rate or expensive rugs to cover the stone cold floor that Nadare, Fukubi and Mizore now knelt down on.

Nadare suppressed a sigh as he spoke again. "My apologies, milord." That was the way you dealt with the man. You apologize – regardless if you meant it or not – and waited. If you tried to speak in your defense or protest, you only encouraged the man to cut you off and yell that much louder.

"Rest assured, we won't let little girls get the better of us again," Fubuki commented, a satisfied smirk on her face as she looked at Mizore out of the corner of her eye.

This time, Nadare let out a sigh. It was a pity indeed that he seemed to be the only one who knew to keep his mouth shut.

Mizore, his nose bandaged up heavily, glared dangerously at their female companion. "At least I didn't have a little boy nearly scorch my ass!"

"Right, and what happened to you again?" Fubuki forged a frown. "Was it a Katon jutsu that did that to you? No... that wasn't it... what about an exploding tag? No, no... what was it?" She snapped her fingers, then allowed her frown to bloom into a full smile with a look of glee in her eyes. "Oh... I remember. Only a _little fist_ to your nose that made you holler like a baby!"

Mizore looked ready to explode before the man on the throne yelled "_**Silence**_!!"

The two shut up as the man stood up from his throne and walked down the small flight of stairs. With each step, the atmosphere seemed to become that much heavier in the presence of this individual. And why shouldn't it? This was the Daimyo of the country. The single man responsible for the... _change_... in government and Yukigakure. The one who had crushed or forced into submission Snow's twenty three local lords. _The_ most powerful man in all of Snow...

Kazahana Doto.

The man, wearing a body long cloak to conceal his clothing, stared at each of them. "Tell me you at least confirmed that she has the Hex Crystal."

"Yes sir, she has it," Nadare said, jumping in before either of his teammates could make another snide remark. "And they are still coming here. It will be a simple matter to reclaim it and eliminate the three pests."

Doto looked at them all as he considered, not speaking a word as he rubbed his chin. Nadare knew whenever he did that, he was deep in thought, and when he did that, someone typically ended up dead before too long.

"Anyone care to wager if Mizore gets sucker-punched again?" Fubuki asked, earning another glare from Mizore.

Nadare looked to his left at Fubuki, their resident sadist and gambler. The woman just loved playing with her opponents, both mentally and physically, though mind games were her favorite. She was also known to turn every opportunity into a bet. During the iceberg battle, she had wagered that the genin would have ran away scared and peed their pants. Needless to say, both Nadare and Mizore were glad to have won that bet: Mizore got the money, while Nadare found potential challenges among these three. Not enough to challenge him, of course, but enough to make things interesting.

Her sadistic tendencies had earned her the nickname Seihyouki Kijo.

At that, Nadare glanced off to his right at his other teammate. Mizore was the joker and playboy among them. He also had a very low tolerance for pain due to the loss of his left arm all those years ago. After the loss of his arm, Mizore had hunted down the shinobi who had done it and butchered the man with the thanks of his new metal arm. Mizore kept the man's head and preserved it in his room as a trophy. From that point began Mizore's new habit of profiteering. He would go after any bounty head he could find for the thrill of the hunt, or anyone else who had 'grievously injured him'. Each time, he kept a trophy from the encounter, typically the head, and decorated his room with those things, numbering 28 so far. And that was why Nadare hadn't gone into his teammate's room in ages.

Nadare had no doubt that Mizore intended to make the girl his 29th trophy. His little hobby made him renown as Riken'ya no Mizore.

As for himself, Nadare casually reached behind himself and pulled out Snow's latest Bingo Book, flipping it open to the page that he had looked at some many times in the last ten years.

_Village Affiliation: Konohagakure  
__Name: Hatake Kakashi (Copy Nin)  
__Age: 27  
__Known Jutsus: Suiton, Katon, Doton, Raiton, Fuuton (suspected), and Hyouton jutsu  
__Known Abilities: High-speed, Taijutsu specialist, Kage-level chakra capacity, Sharingan  
__Kekkei Genkai: none  
__Estimated Rank: S-Class  
__Reward: 57 million ryo  
__Wanted by: Kirigakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, Yukigakure, Amegakure, Takigakure_

When they had first fought, Nadare had no idea who the opponent had been. Just one of Konoha's ANBU. It was two weeks later when he learned the identity of the man... and the doorway to his own goal. Absentmindedly, he began flipping through the pages.

_Village Affiliation: Iwagakure  
__Name: Koshian Kazuki  
__Age: 62  
__Known Jutsus: Doton jutsu  
__Known Abilities: High-speed, Taijutsu specialist, Kage-level chakra capacity  
__Kekkei Genkai: none  
__Estimated Rank: A-Class  
__Reward: 52 million ryo  
__Wanted by: Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Konohagakure, Kusagakure, Amegakure, Takigakure, Tanigakure_

_Village Affiliation: Kumogakure  
__Name: Kirabi (Killer Bee)  
__Age: unknown  
__Known Jutsus: Raiton, Doton jutsu  
__Known Abilities: Kenjutsu specialist, Kage-level chakra capacity, suspected Jinchuuriki  
__Kekkei Genkai: unknown  
__Estimated Rank: S-Class  
__Reward: 67 million ryo  
__Wanted by: Kirigakure, Iwagakure, Konohagakure, Amegakure, Hoshigakure, Moyagakure_

_Village Affiliation: Sunagakure  
__Name: Baki  
__Age: 34  
__Known Jutsus: Doton, Fuuton jutsu  
__Known Abilities: Ninjutsu specialist, Kage-level chakra capacity  
__Kekkei Genkai: none  
__Estimated Rank: A-Class  
__Reward: 45 million ryo  
__Wanted by: Iwagakure, Kirigakure, Konohagakure, Kumogakure, Amegakure, Kagerougakure, Takigakure_

_Village Affiliation: Kirigakure  
__Name: Gitou Hasaki (Doku Yaiba)  
__Age: 31  
__Known Jutsus: Suiton, Raiton  
__Known Abilities: Former member of the Seven Shinobi Swordsman of the Mist, Taijutsu specialist, notable poison expert, Kage-level chakra capacity  
__Kekkei Genkai: none  
__Estimated Rank: S-Class, current Kage  
__Reward: 58 million ryou  
__Wanted by: Kumogakure, Konohagakure, Sunagakure, Takigakure, Hoshigakure, Tanigakure, Yugakure _

Nadare felt frustration well up inside of him. These five individuals and more were the elite of the elite of the shinobi world. The cream of the crop. The best of the best. A place that he, himself, should be included in. He knew he was good enough to be recognized with these individuals, but what was his entry?!

_Village Affiliation: Yukigakure  
__Name: Rouga Nadare (Anarisuto no Nadare)  
__Age: 27  
__Known Jutsus: Hyouton  
__Known Abilities: average Taijutsu skills  
__Kekkei Genkai: none  
__Estimated Rank: C-Class  
__Reward: 20 thousand ryou  
__Wanted by: Konohagakure, Amegakure_

It was infuriating! To be labeled as no more than a common, cannon fodder chunin of all things! Sure, he wasn't among the best in Yukigakure – nothing like the late Mikata – but he wasn't weak either! He was one of the San Eihei, the strongest in Doto's handpicked loyalist shinobi! He had gone head to head with Kakashi, _one of the people on the list_, and held his own! Twice! When he found out Kakashi's identity over ten years ago after their first fight, he found his way to make the world recognize his skills. He would take down Hatake Kakashi and launch his success worldwide. That would gain him the status he knew he deserved! And finally... when they crossed paths again... after years of agonizing toil, training, and research for their destined rematch... Kakashi went and died by the iceberg collapsing on him! How pathetic was that!? And all of Nadare's work collapsed with him.

And what was left for him to face now? Three little genin brats. Sure, they were talented and had some potential, but nothing to the late Copy Nin. Defeating them would not gain him what he sought. These three might provide him some fun and it would certainly be satisfying to pay that blond one back, but in the end, he would still be just a grunt in the Bingo Book. No one of significance or a threat. Just a nuisance.

As such, the three of them were the Analyst, the Ice Maker Witch, and the Profiteer who made up the San Eihei, named as such due to the fact they were Doto's strongest among the loyalist shinobi and his personal 'Sentinels'. A name only known among their fellows, and alas, not worldwide like that of the famous – or infamous, depending on your point of view – Sannin of the Leaf. It should come as no surprise that the three of them were on the same genin team when they were younger. Their sensei was Kaigen, the inventor of the Chakra Armor. Though in those days, it was much less sophisticated, but it was the start. The idea wasn't too popular at his time, and so he kept it for his own personal use. Three years into the team's formation, there was an accident that resulted in the death of Kaigen's wife. Devastated, Kaigen left the village in self-imposed exile. The three of them hadn't seen hide or hair of him since, having no idea where he was now or even if he was still alive.

"Nadare!" Doto's voice yelled, clearly not pleased that Nadare was looking at his Bingo Book and lost in his own world. Grudgingly, Nadare placed his Bingo Book back in his pouch, making a mental note to choose another target to pursue for his glory after this little "crisis" was over.

After the Analyst uttered another apology, Doto held out his arm in a commanding tone. "Send word to Yukigakure: all missions are hereby canceled. All active shinobi are to report to the borders and watch for that ship and the princess' entourage. The princess is to be brought to the castle unharmed, but kill anyone who tries to resist! Eliminate those three Genin with extreme prejudice! By order of the Kagirinai Kachuu!"

Kagirinai Kachuu. That was the name of the leader of the Snow Village. Since Yukigakure was not one of the great five shinobi nations, their leader could not use the Kage name. As such, Yukigakure's leader was known as the Kagirinai Kachuu, the nickname of Hyouden Bansou, founder of Yukigakure. He was known as the Eternal Maelstrom due to his unique ability to cast ninjutsu so well that he used winter storms as his weapon. Fierce winds, hail so sharp it pierced anything, freezing cold temperatures, and blinding snow. Whether this was the result of a Kekkei Genkai, or just a variety of Hyouton, Fuuton and Suiton ninjutsu expertly used together was unknown, but the effect was utterly devastating. He could annihilate an entire army singlehandedly with that move. Naturally, this ability was only useful in the cold climates of the world and not something he could perform anywhere else, but Bansou was still formidable even without that technique. As another part of his legacy, a massive and constant storm surrounded Yukigakure, with the village safely located in the 'eye' of the storm. The only way to navigate the storm was with the specialized compass that pointed to the center of the village, rather than north. An item every Yuki nin had and guarded with their lives as it was their only means back home.

Hyouden Bansou had founded Yukigakure over sixty years ago and had ruled for thirty three years before passing away in his sleep. A man simply known as Yacho succeeded him. He wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but was an incredible fighter in his own right before being killed in the Third Shinobi War thirteen years later. During that time, Mikata came to the title. Though her reign was cut short after a mere four years when Doto came to power, in which Doto claimed the title for himself. And why shouldn't he?

After all... Doto defeated and killed Mikata in single-handed combat during the change in power ten years ago.

"Leave me now. Go to our intelligence reports. See if there's anything about these three genin in there. I want to know the names of these three brats to engrave in the Hell Asylum!"

The three bowed once again to their leader and left. Snow owls and radios would be used to communicate with Yukigakure – two days travel by shinobi standards – from the castle. A message would be received by the village soon enough and the teams across the country mobilized. That entire process would only take a few hours, half the night at most. Then the shinobi would make way to the borders of their island nation, either willingly or grudgingly, but they would do it.

Wherever Koyuki and her allies landed, Snow ninja would be there waiting for them.

* * *

**5:10 A.M.**

The ship anchored up at the coastline as vehicles drove out. Trucks, jeeps, and vans moved out across the snow as other people disembarked, everyone dressed for the weather again. Naruto jumped on top of the foremost truck and looked around. Not seeing anyone, he took a few careful sniffs in the air. A few scents lingered in the way, but he couldn't tell if they were old or fresh. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sasuke walking out next, right behind Koyuki, the Uchiha's eyes nailed on the actress so she wouldn't try and escape again. On his back was Sakura, still sleeping. The boys hadn't even bothered trying to wake her, figuring it was best to let her rest as long as possible. Naruto watched them enter one of the other trucks as everyone else loaded up as well.

As for himself, he just crossed his arms as he continued to look at the landscape: a dense forest area that was just covered in snow, snow and more snow. He never thought he'd see this much white in his life. Giving a brief shiver, the truck starting moving out, leading the vehicle caravan. They were headed for the Rainbow Glacier, as Makino had no such intention of changing that part of the movie. It wasn't like they didn't have a shinobi village after them or anything. Men must have their priorities, Makino had said.

Naruto just shook his head again at thinking of the bastard as they took off down the road.

* * *

Above, on a hill a good hundred meters away, a single Yuki nin was looking through binoculars down at the ship and the departing caravan of cars. The man was dressed in normal snow ninja attire, though he had a scar that cut across the left cheek towards the side of his head, where he was missing the lower half of his ear.

"Koyuki-sama. You've returned," he said to himself as he put the binoculars away and moved out.

* * *

(**Author's Notes**) Whew! Done! Had to update my other stories before this one, and the fight scene I took very slowly and carefully to keep it as realistic as possible. Personally, I think I pulled it off, but I'll let you all be the judges. As usual, the scenes turned out longer than I anticipated, but I was determined to start off the Snow Country arc this chapter, so I kept on going, which as you can see, the Snow Shinobi have been mobilized against Team 7 and one of them has spotted them already!

As mentioned above, I would not personally label Sakura as completely exhausted, so she would be able to move about some, though not as well if she was in peak condition. While it was best to avoid having her fight in this type of scenario, I did it for a number of reasons. The first was that I wanted Sakura to struggle at creating her first unique jutsu and that required as much time as I could give her. Another was that I wanted Sakura to break down at the end of the day, similar to what she did in canon in the Forest of Death and a powerful moment for her. This didn't exactly happen in Part 1 of Legacy (not that that's a bad thing), but I had a chance to add a similar moment, so I took it. Thirdly was that I wanted Sakura pushed past her limits in this. Past, not merely to. Bit of a difference. Pushing someone merely to their limits keeps them at relatively at the same skill level. To improve, you need to push yourself past your limits so you gain new heights, then work to pass those as well and so on. Since she is the least experienced and weakest among the three, I wanted to jump-start her a little to help prepare her for what is yet to come. And as you read with Mizore, it's going to be intense.

Special thanks to Tellemicus for our recent discussions which helped me plan out this chapter and chapters to come, as well as the nicknames for Mizore and Fubuki, as well as the group name. He also graciously provided the first four Bingo Book entries for me to use (namely, Kakashi's, Kazuki's, Killer Bee's and Baki's). He gave me leeway to do the fifth one, who is the same Mizukage that was briefly featured in Makaze Rekidashi. And of course, Nadare's was all mine.

Couple of notes on those entries in case you don't recognize some of the information. Kazuki was the Rock Jonin commander that was seen in Makaze Rekidashi who fought Naruto and captured Team 8. Kagerougakure - Hidden Heat Haze Village, Moyagakure - Hidden Haze Village, Hoshigakure – Hidden Star Village, Tanigakure – Hidden Valley Village, and Yugakure – Hidden Hot Springs Village. The first five are minor villages features at various points in the anime while the last one is Hidan's canon village, as confirmed in the third Databook.

Riken'ya no Mizore – Mizore the Profiteer  
Seihyouki Kijo – Ice-maker Witch  
San Eihei – Three Sentinels  
Hasaki – edge of blade  
Gitou – ceremonial sword  
doku – poison  
yaiba – blade  
kagirinai – eternal  
kachuu – maelstrom (Fun note: was tempted to use 'Naruto' for maelstrom, heh heh)  
hyouden – field of eternal snow  
bansou – a late frost  
yacho – wild boar  
Kaigen – change of era

**Oboro no Jutsu vs Genjutsu. **The Oboro, by it's nature, is a constant release of pure chakra all around the body. As such, this acts like a shield against genjutsu either weakening the effects or even canceling it out are two reasons for this. The first is that the Oboro mimics the counter genjutsu method that Jiraiya taught Naruto in canon. Basically, with all the chakra flowing through him, it interferes and cancels out the genjutsu. The second is that because of the Oboro's denseness it covers the body's tenketsu, which Genjutsu enters to take affect (regardless if it's by sight, smell, hearing, or whatever, it still has to travel through the tenketsu to take affect). With these points blocked, the Genjutsu affecting Naruto is decreased significantly. It should be noted that the effectiveness – like any technique – is only as effective as the user. While Naruto can potentially strengthen Oboro to completely counter Genjutsu, at his current skill level the Oboro can only counter C-class Genjutsu and lower.

**Sakura Fubuki no Jutsu**--_Cherry Blossom Snow Storm Technique_//Sakura attaches small pouches to her kunai filled with small exploding tags. The pouches either release due to force of contact, or Sakura can manually release them with a hand seal. When the small bombs fill the air, a normal exploding tag can set them off, resulting in a gigantic explosion. (No rank) (Sakura)

**Suiton: Mizu Hoippu**--_Water Release: Water Whip_//A long broad strand of water that is summoned out of a nearby water source. Due to the structure, it is an extremely versatile jutsu that is very hard to break depending on the user's chakra control capabilities. Often used for mid to long range offense, but it can just as easily be utilized for defense. (Upper C-Class) (Sakura) Credit goes to Tellemicus for suggesting the idea.

**Katon: Jigoku Kaze Oshiyaru**--_Fire Release: Hell Wind Thrust//_A standard Kaze Oshiyaru in contact with with an exploding tag, or Katon jutsu, giving a intense burst of flame on top of the impact force behind it. (Mid B-Class ninjutsu) (Naruto)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to paintball-gamer for beta reading this!_


	15. The Way of Snow

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 15: The Way of Snow _

**(Author's Note)** Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you all have a Happy New Year! Many thanks to my beta, Paintball Gamer, for managing to finish this in time for Christmas! Thank you SO much my friend!

**8:17 am**

Nineteen year old Kiganai and his two teammates were on one of the many snow-covered hills in the forest, where the caravan of vehicles was slowly traveling through the snow-covered pathways of the old railroads. From the looks of it, these people had only been partially prepared for traveling in this climate and, as a result, were going considerably slower than one would expect. One of the leaf genin that they had been told about, a small blond-haired boy in black and orange, was standing on the lead car like a sentry. Where the other two were, Kiganai had no idea.

"I say we strike now and get this damn job over with," the kunoichi among them, Ikusa, spoke up. "Why we have to do anything for that tyrant is - "

Kiou interrupted her. "Don't you _dare _speak of the Kagirinai Kachuu that way!"

"Spare me," Ikusa countered, rolling her eyes. "Why anyone would like that scoundrel, much less want to join his Loyalist faction, is beyond me."

The other's eyebrows twitched dangerously. "He's both the Daimyo of this country _and _the leader of our village! He's an incredible fighter and a sharp mind that bozos like you can only dream about!"

"The man's a liar, a cheat, and a backstabber," Ikusa shot back, anger slowly rising in her own voice. "And if you consider him an incredible fighter, then it's no wonder you can't fight your way out of a paper bag."

"Doto-sama defeated Mikata!" Kiou countered, a smug smile on his face. Mikata had been Ikusa's personal hero.

"He _says_ he defeated Mikata-sama," Ikusa growled, gritting her teeth. There had been no witnesses to the fight, after all.

"You're just jealous!"

"You're just a pinhead!"

"Bitch."

"Wannabe."

"Knock it off, you two," Kiganai said, the order firm in his voice. Those two were always like this. How they all ended up on the same team would always be a mystery to him. When Doto came to power ten years ago, he reorganized Yukigakure drastically. One of the many changes was that he personally arranged the mission teams. Some of the new selections did make sense and played on the teams' strengths, such as their own, while others just didn't work well together and as such reduced the team's efficiency. Kiganai suspected Doto had done it so that his sympathizers in the village would be stationed throughout all of the village and its shinobi. Roughly a third of Yukigakure supported Doto now much like Kiou did. Everyone else just resented the man and only followed his orders because there was no other choice for them.

The two calmed down as Ikusa looked at him. "Are you ready to strike, then, instead of stalling? We've been watching them for an hour already. Nothing else to do other than make fun of 'paper bag' here."

"I resent that remark!"

"For the last time," Kiganai spoke up, cutting Ikusa off before she could respond. "We strike when we know for sure which car the Princess is in. We go in now, and she'll be likely to escape in the following chaos. I don't fancy having to look for her all over again just because you aren't patient enough to do the job right." He paused, then added "Or was that what you were hoping for?"

Ikusa snorted loudly. "I don't see why someone like you doesn't stand up to that murderer."

Kiganai didn't offer an answer. Truthfully, he didn't care one way or another if Doto was in charge or not, or if the Princess was handed over to him. He was a Snow Ninja of the Hidden Snow Village; he just did his job because that was what one was supposed to do. Part of that might have been because he lacked any real goal or desire himself. He didn't even become a shinobi because he wanted to. He did it because every member of his family for generations had done so and it was expected of him, so he did so. That was all and it wasn't like he had anything better to do.

His clan, the Suigen, had been one of the first in Yukigakure after it had been established by Bansou, and as such was one of the most important and prominent clans in the entire village. He was expected to succeed his father as Clan Head one day, but in all honesty, he felt his younger sister would be a better choice. Their brother, the youngest of the three, was headstrong and rash. Unless he underwent a major attitude adjustment, he wouldn't be ideal for the position either. And all three of them had a long way to go, both in strength and intelligence, before they could match their father, much less succeed him.

He was about to comment when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Taking out a pair of binoculars, he looked to see one of the car doors opening, then a boy jumping to the top of the car. As he shut the door with his foot, Kiganai managed to see who else was in the car.

Koyuki-hime herself.

He drew out a slow breath as he put the binoculars away. "Target found. Have you reached Gamma Team on the radio yet?" Gamma Team was the closest to them. Snow teams operated under code names for the mission, as to not alert the enemies in advance by referring to their teams by name like 'Team Kakashi' or 'Team Baki.' Their own was Alpha Team.

Kiou shook his head. "No. Just static. Might be local interference, or just technical difficulties. Not that we need them. We can take on three Genin ourselves. We are _Chunin, _after all."

"Don't underestimate them," Kiganai warned. "Remember what the report said: those three went head to head with the San Eihei and held their own." He gave Kiou a stern look. "That's more than you can boast."

The other young man waved him off impatiently. "I still say it was pure luck and due to the Copy Nin's effects. If he was here, then we would have something to worry about." His face brightened up as he said "You think if I offer their heads to Doto-sama, he'll let me join the Loyalists?"

"He'll let you have a body bag," Ikusa commented. She was looking forward to this fight. "If you're lucky."

"Don't start," Kiganai warned, a clear warning in his voice. "Let's just get the job done. You two can stay and fight if you want, I don't care. I'll grab the Princess as planned and get out of there. Now let's move."

* * *

**A few minutes later**

Sasuke jumped from car to car until he came to the one where Naruto was. "How are they?" The one-eyed blond asked, not bothering to look at Sasuke as he opted to keep his attention on his surroundings.

The Uchiha just shrugged. "One's brooding and one's still sleeping, but at least things are quiet." He gave a slight shiver. He did not like the cold at all. "Why don't you take a turn in the car? I'll stand watch here."

Naruto offered the Uchiha a small smile. "Generous. Let me guess: Koyuki getting on your nerves too?"

The other boy almost felt the urge to smile back and if it didn't ruin his image, he just might have. "What gave it away?"

The Number One Unpredictable Ninja was about to comment when he noticed they were driving into a fog bank. Such a thing was natural to expect in such a place, but there was one problem.

That fog hadn't been there a minute ago.

"Sasuke."

"I see it." With that, he snapped his Sharingan on and looked around. "It's a ninjutsu, alright. Similar to Zabuza's Kirigakure no Jutsu from what I can tell..." He reluctantly turned off his bloodline, as it was going to be useless in this. "… but it doesn't look the same. Not as dense, for one."

"You take the rear; I'll handle things here," said Naruto, already looking around as Sasuke uttered 'Hai' and took off, leaping from car to car to the rear as all the cars turned on their fog lights. Taking a few sniffs, Naruto tried to see if he could detect any scents. He didn't smell anything off hand, not that that was -

CRASH!

Naruto felt the car underneath him stop suddenly, making him almost lose his balance as all the cars began running into trees, rocks, and even themselves. Sasuke had been in the middle of a jump when this happened, making him miss the next car. He landed on the ground easily enough, but caught sight of another car about to run him over, so he dashed off before it could.

_What the hell is going on!?_ Naruto thought angrily as he jumped down to the ground as well. The drivers couldn't all suck this bad in some little fog, shinobi made or not! Looking around for any signs of the enemy, he took off running back to Koyuki's car to make sure...

... and that's when Naruto ran into the lead car at full force.

After a moment of withering in pain, Naruto placed his hands on the car and pushed himself off. As he rubbed his face to lessen the pain, he wondered how the hell he ran into the lead car when he was going the _opposite_ direction!

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Naruto looked around the fog area with suspicion in his eye. Taking a chance, Naruto slowly walked away from the car in a straight path. As he walked, he continued to look and smell for the enemy, trying to find out where the caster was and if this person was alone or not.

And that's when he noticed he was walking up to a car. The exact same car he just walked away from.

Okay, now Naruto was both freaked out and pissed off at this new development. This fog somehow messed with their sense of direction, so that even when you thought you were walking in a straight line, you were really just walking around in circles!

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, using his voice. "Everything alright?"

"I'm fine," came the reply, though there was a hint of anger and embarrassment in his voice. Naruto guessed Sasuke had a similar encounter in the fog.

"Hyouton: Tsurara Ishuu no Jutsu!"

Naruto's head jerked at the sound of the voice, only to see a large amount of icicles flying right towards him. Flying through the seals, he formed the Kaze Tate and blew the things away from himself and the cars. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a burst of flames. Sasuke was under attack as well.

"Nice move, boy," a second voice called out. At those words, the fog began to dissipate as a figure began rushing towards him. There stood a Yuki-nin. Dressed nothing like the trio that they had faced earlier, this one was covered head to toe in thick, warm clothes, with a hood and facial mask and thick boots. In addition, he wore some kind of metal shin guards, some type of gauntlets, and a metallic-looking backpack. Wasting no time, the Yuki-nin was right in front of Naruto as he threw a right punch, which Naruto blocked instinctively. Not even pausing, the Yuki-nin spun around and threw a right kick at him, which Naruto dodged by dropping to all fours. Springing from the ground, he landed two solid jabs on the man's chest.

The enemy ninja skipped back a ways as he smiled. "A true pervert, it seems."

Naruto flinched. "What the hell is your problem?!"

The enemy laughed as he reached up and pulled down his mask and hood, revealing short, copper hair on a clearly feminine face. Naruto just stared in disbelief.

It was a freakin' woman!?!? Why did this always happen to him!? How was he supposed to tell when she was covered up so much!?

"Name's Ikusa, perv," the kunoichi identified herself as she hurled a few shuriken at him.

Down with Sasuke, he was steadily breathing out a Grand Fireball as he melted each of the icicles flying at him. As the last one melted, Sasuke noticed the damned fog disappearing. Taking advantage of the situation, he snapped on his Sharingan and began looking for his adversary.

"Hey, Ikusa, you damned _bitch_! You weren't supposed to shut off your Menkurau Enmu, you fucking bitch!!"

"Oops," came another voice, not even trying to sound sympathetic or remorseful. "Guess you'll just have to make do, crybaby."

"I. Am. _NOT. _A. _**CRYBABY**_!!!"

"Then stop whining and fight, Kiou!"

Well... that was easy. Looking directly in front of him, he saw a Yuki-nin, the part of his face Sasuke could see quite red with fury, sticking his neck out from the tree he had been hiding behind. His attire was identical to his female companion fighting Naruto. Flying through the six seals, Sasuke called out "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"

The enemy Yuki-nin turned just in time to see the first of the fireballs coming straight at him. Giving off an undignified shriek of terror, he jumped from behind the tree as the first fireball struck. Rolling along the ground, the Snow Ninja ran through his own chain of seals as he slammed his hands on the ground. "Hyouton: Hyouheki!"

A ten-foot wall of ice erupted in front of the young man as the remaining fireballs collided into it. Kiou's hands flew again as he yelled "Tsurara Ishuu!"

The entire ice wall fragmented right then, with more icicles forming out of it. Then as one, all of them launched themselves at the Uchiha. Taking a kunai in each hand, Sasuke began deflecting all of them, making sure none hit the cars, as well as himself.

That's when he noticed a third person running towards the cars thanks to the enhanced vision from the Sharingan. Sasuke managed to see another Yuki-nin (dressed like the first two) making a mad dash to the car Koyuki herself was in.

Shit! "Naruto!"

The blond boy jerked his head towards Sasuke and saw the third Yuki-nin as well. Fuck! That, however, turned Naruto's closed eye towards Ikusa, who gladly took advantage of it. Before he could make a move, Ikusa slammed her right fist to the side of his face. "I'm your opponent, boy!"

Naruto recoiled in pain as he crossed his fingers. Two more of him popped into existence as they helped stabilize him. Ouch, that freakin' hurt! What was it with females and brutal strength!? And more importantly: WHY THE HELL WAS HE ALWAYS ON THE RECEIVING END OF IT!?!?And he _had_ to work on his stupid blind spot!

Kiganai ran toward to the car that held the Snow Princess. The plan, for the most part, had worked out perfectly. With Ikusa's Bewildering Fog making the cars crash and stop, and Kiou's Icicle Swarm offering the perfect cover fire for him, he was able to rush to the car, grab the Princess and flee. Sure, maybe they should have learned the location of the third genin, but Kiganai wasn't planning on fighting. Just getting what he needed and running. He was confident enough in his own speed to outrun them, especially with Ikusa and Kiou keeping the two boys occupied.

With that, Kiganai ran up to the car and flung the door open...

... only to have his face meet a fist rather violently.

Gasping incoherently, he flew backwards from the sheer brute force, bounced on the ground not just once, but twice, before coming to a stop on the ground a good fifteen feet away.

Next, Sakura herself appeared from the car, her hair out of place and an unmistakably pissed off look in her eyes. "Stop all that damn racket! I'm trying to sleep here!" Looking around dangerously, she shouted "Just _who _is making all the noise anyway!?"

Incredible as it might seem, the four shinobi still standing all froze at the pink-haired girl's rage-filled demeanor. In response, the Narutos pointed at Ikusa, Ikusa pointed at Sasuke, Sasuke pointed at Kiou, and Kiou pointed at the Narutos. Once they all realized what they were doing, they all pointed to the fallen Kiganai as one.

Looking around the man laying on the ground, the reality of the situation slowly drew in on Sakura as she uttered 'oh...'. It was that moment the other shinobi moved. The Narutos, Ikusa, and Sasuke all charged, while Kiou jumped back and Kiganai jumped to his feet. He rubbed his face slightly, then cracked his neck.

"You hit well," was all he said as he reached behind him and pulled out a pair of metal claws, four claws on each set. He slipped them on and formed some hand seals. "Hyouton: Hiru Aisu!"

Sakura watched in confusion as ice covered the claws. Didn't that defeat the purpose of using those weapons? What was the point of putting ice on it? Not trusting the enemy's motive, Sakura formed three handseals herself and punched the earth. "Doton: Ganseki Gunte!"

She then pulled her arms up, showing that her hands were now covered in thick, solid looking earth, vaguely resembling boxing gloves, with small spikes on each of the knuckles. This was the result of her experimenting with the earth during her training with the Water Whip. She got the earth to stick her hands easily enough and once that was done, it was relatively easy to modify it into something more useful in combat.

Kiganai came up at her, swinging his ice-covered metal claws, which she deflected with her right fist. The Snow Shinobi didn't stop as he continued a series of strikes, which Sakura could barely keep up with. Then a quick left hook came at her, making one of the ice claws tear across her arm. The Leaf Kunoichi gave a cry of pain as she inspected her arm, seeing a layer of ice where the claws had struck. Looking up, she saw that one of the eight metal claws was bare.

That's when she felt a small draining sensation. If she were to describe it, the best she could do was that something was sucking the life out of her arm.

"That's right," Kiganai spoke, as if guessing her thoughts. He held up the metal claw as another strand of ice engrossed the bare claw again. "As the name – leech ice – suggests, that ice now attached to your arm is slowly sucking your energies out of you, just like a real life leech would suck its victim's blood. My jutsu drains far more than blood, though: it takes chakra, as well. The more I put on you, the more apparent the effect will become... until you're nothing but a shivered corpse."

Sakura just stared in disbelief at him. So that's why the ice was on the claws: it was to protect himself from the ice. She looked at her arm, then in one fluid motion used her left hand and struck across her own arm, shattering the ice off of it. She gritted her teeth so she would not gave another cry in pain as she looked at the results. A long, nasty-looking scratch mark was left where the ice had been, but at least the ice was gone.

The Suigen Clan member frowned mentally. So... he still needed to work on his adhesion property. The girl had gotten it off far too easily. With that, he charged the girl again

Ikusa was in the midst of fighting off the three Narutos, all four with kunai. After Naruto's two clones were destroyed, Ikusa slashed at the third one, then spun around for the last one. He was a fraction of a second too slow in dodging as it cut across the back of his right hand. "Fuck you!" He jumped back as he ran through the seals and yelled. "Fuuton: Kunai Soufuu Atsu!"

The mini Kaze Kiwa flew through the air right at the Snow Kunoichi, which she intercepted with a kick, causing the jutsu burst into a harmless, gentle breeze. _Not again!_ Naruto complained mentally, not really surprised.

"Hyouton: Aisu Bomu!"

Freezing winds swirled around Ikusa's open left hand, forming a small orb of ice. Like an expert ball player, she threw it right at Naruto. The one-eyed shinobi hurled the kunai in his hand in hopes of deflecting the thing. To his surprise, once the knife hit the ice ball, the thing exploded, sending out a shower of small, but sharp ice fragments in all directions.

Naruto uttered a curse. Having no time to form his wind shield, he did the next best thing he could as he crossed his arms protectively in front of him. The ice cut all across him. "Damn you, I just got this jacket fixed!"

Ikusa smiled as she made another dash to the boy. Before she got halfway, the boy formed the half tora seal and the ground right in front of her exploded. An exploding tag! But when could he have... she then remembered how he ducked onto the ground. It must have been then! She fell on her butt from the aftershock, but quickly recovered herself.

Only to see five Narutos charge her and begin laying the pain on her. Somehow, in midst of the grunts and surges of pain, she managed to form a kawarimi with a nearby log.

Now standing by a tree a good ten feet away, she watched as the blonds began cussing again. Offering a smile and fighting off the urge to black out, she said "Seems that... I'm going to have to cheat a bit... nothing personal... but I like to _win_! Menkurau Enmu!"

Once again, the misdirecting fog sprang to life, though this time it covered a much more condensed area – right around the blond genin. The more widespread her fog was, the less effective it became, but when used in a relatively small area, the opponent wouldn't be able to tell his right hand from his left when simply _looking _at them.

Of course, she was protected against the effects of her own jutsu, so now she could safely beat the hell out of the genin without having to fear a counterattack!

And that's when Naruto slammed his fist into her stomach, wiping the smile off her face just as quickly. Gasping for breath, she looked up and what she saw shocked her.

The boy's eye was closed.

"H-how?" She managed to choke out. "Did... you... know...?"

Naruto gave a small smile as he hold up his right hand. "I _let _you cut me earlier in that exchange. Your fog was messing with my vision, so I knew I couldn't rely on my sight. So I used my nose. I might not be able to pick out your scents in this environment, but I know my own scent well enough." He pointed at her right hand, where some of his blood had spilled when she cut him.

Ikusa was beside herself. So he had not only figured out how her fog worked by affecting the sight, but came up with a way around it? Or was he just a lucky fool?

Either way, she was impressed. "N-nice... move..." With that, she passed out on the snow.

Sasuke was dodging the latest batch of icicles very easily as Kiou jumped back again, calling out "Hyouton: Toramisairu no Jutsu!"

A tiger made out of ice formed next. After giving a small roar, it charged towards Sasuke. With one swift motion, he threw a kunai with an exploding tag right at the thing's head, making it explode apart. Running through the debris, he ran up to his opponent. When Sasuke was just a few feet away, the man disappeared, replaced with that same ice sculpture move he had seen Fubuki use. Groaning in irritation that his opponent slipped away again, Sasuke smacked the thing into a nearby tree.

Damn it! What was this guy's problem!? When you use Kawarimi, you use it to trick and fool the opponent! Not to run away like a coward! It was almost like... Sasuke stopped at the thought when it clicked. That was it! This Snow Ninja had no taijutsu skills whatsoever! He relied solely on Ninjutsu and whatever chakra armor stuff he had.

At that, a full-blown smile appeared on Sasuke's face. It would have made little kids cry.

The Yuki-nin peeked out from the latest tree he was hiding behind when he saw the kid running right at him. Forming the seals for the Tiger Missile again, he fired it at the boy. This time, the boy merely flipped over it and continued speeding towards him. The Yuki-nin felt his heart pumping hard again as he quickly formed the Icicle Swarm and sent them flying at this red-eyed speed demon. Let him try and dodge all of these!

A few minutes later, Kiou's face fell in horror. This bastard just avoided every... single... icicle. How was that possible? In desperation, he formed the seals needed and threw his hands onto the ground again. After muttering 'Hyouheki' again, he retreated once again.

Sasuke's speed didn't change despite the ice wall in front of him. At the last second, he jumped as high as he could at the wall. With a kunai in each hand, he stabbed into the wall for stability and flipped himself over the top. As he fell, he planted his feet against the wall and launched himself at Kiou. The Snow Ninja shrieked again as he brought his hands together... only to have Sasuke chop right through them.

"No more seals for you!" he shouted, as he slammed his left fist into the man's face, followed quickly by a fierce barrage of punches and kicks all over him. "You can't call yourself a shinobi if you if you only use ninjutsu! You have to use taijutsu, basic weapons, and tactics; not just run and cast ninjutsu! Be more like a shinobi and not a coward!" At that, he stopped his barrage. "That's enough."

Kiou just stood there motionless, covered in bruises all over him. He let out a silent moan as he collapsed on the ground.

The clashing sounds of Sakura's Rock Gloves with Kiganai's Leech Ice Metal Claws was heard by the passengers in the cars, while Makino looked on the verge of tears as he was desperately trying to find a camera to record this beautiful scene!

Kiganai came in a downward motion, which Sakura intercepted with a block, but with a flick of his wrist, Kiganai batted Sakura's hand away and continued on with his strike at the girl's face. She barely managed to twist out of the way, with the ice claws just missing her by a centimeter, though it did knock her headband off. Using the momentum of the spin, she fired a left side thrust kick right at the enemy's stomach. Again, Kiganai intercepted the kick with his own, spun around himself and sent a right roundhouse at Sakura's incoming left hand, shattering the rock glove.

The Snow Shinobi saw the girl's eyes narrow for just an instant before she jumped backwards to avoid his next strike. Her now free right hand was zipping through a series of one-handed seals. She then muttered something he couldn't hear when he got a very strong overwhelming smell of Sakura blossoms. Looking around, he saw pink flower petals flying around, obstructing his vision.

Genjutsu, obviously. Not a very powerful one, but more than enough to give the girl the upper hand in their taijutsu match. With that in mind, he quickly jumped down to the ground into a handstand, swinging his legs around and dispelling the genjutsu. At that moment, the girl charged him, no doubt hoping to get him while he was in this defenseless position. Before she got close, he merely handsprung himself backwards out of her range. The girl didn't stop, however, and merely continued to charge him. How reckless.

Still, Kiganai did two additional backflips to get some distance from the girl and regain his balance. That's when he felt himself back into a tree. So was that the girl's plan? Merely back him into a corner and tackle him head on? Not enough by far. That's when he saw the girl rear her right arm back and then throw it forward. Her rock glove went flying off her hand, right at his head. Despite being surprised at the move, Kiganai tilted his head to the side, the rock glove just missing him.

"You missed," he said casually, before snow suddenly fell on his face. What the hell!? So she lured him to the tree, simply to knock the snow off the branches and blind him? Grunting, he quickly wiped the snow off his face, only to see Sakura's hand firmly placed against his face.

Oh dear...

Using all the strength she could, Sakura slammed Suigen Kiganai's head against the tree. Hard. The entire tree seemed to shake as more snow fell on the two, not that either one paid attention to it. In a stunned state, Kiganai looked at the leaf genin, and spoke one word. "Pain..."

Sakura saw the man's eyes roll back inside his head and he lost consciousness. Looking at the man in the snow, she mentally congratulated herself. She not only held her own, but she won. If that wasn't a vote of confidence in her abilities and fighting skills, then damn those that said otherwise. It was more than enough for her.

She reached down and picked up her headband, and after a moment's consideration, tied it back in her hair. Once she finished, she saw her two teammates coming. Naruto had a Yuki-nin thrown over his shoulder like a bag of luggage, while their other teammate was dragging a third one by the ankle through the snow.

"You alright?" Naruto asked.

She nodded as she jerked her thumb at the fallen Yuki-nin. "Yeah, fine. Guy used some draining move, but fortunately, didn't get me too badly." She resisted the urge to look at her arm, so instead she asked. "What about you two? Any problems?"

"Nope," Sasuke replied smugly, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

"Other than being accused of being a pervert, no," Naruto answered, glancing at the unconscious kunoichi he carried.

Sakura couldn't resist. "Pervert, huh? Why, what did you do? Grope her breasts like you did with me?"

The blond just rolled his eye, just as Sasuke snapped his head in Naruto's direction. "You. Did. WHAT!?"

Both of them took an abrupt step back from the Uchiha. Was it their imaginations, or was there a slight blush in raven-haired boy's face? "Oh, come on!" Naruto said, rather annoyed he had to explain any of this. It wasn't like he enjoyed doing that! He wasn't Ero-sannin! "The whole point was to get her angry and fight, remember, Kizuato?"

The female of Team 7 raised her eyebrow. "Point was to make me angry, huh?"

"You know what I mean!" Naruto snapped. "Besides, the drowning wasn't working, so I - "

"_You tried to drown her!? So that's why you were down there so long!?"_

"Hey! Don't you dare complain, asshole! You had your chance to do it to do it your way and you chickened out! You don't like what I did? Tough!"

"It was your stupid idea to do it in the first place!"

"Only because you couldn't think of anything better!"

"You decided to use the Janken game to decide which of us would do it, jackass!"

"What the hell!? It was _your_ idea, you dick!"

"You two decided on my fate with a STUPID JANKEN GAME!?!"

"Yes! No! I mean... that's not it!"

"Besides, Sakura, we wouldn't have had to resort to anything like that if you had just asked us for help!"

"Like you're one to talk! Who's the one that's always going off and refusing to share what he creates!?"

"Watch it! I taught you one of those!"

"No, you didn't! You taught me one you were taught, not one you created, which I denied wanting to do!"

"Wait, you two did what?!"

Before anyone else could respond, there was a groan from the Yuki-nin on the ground. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all looked at him, then the other two. As one, all three nodded. Sakura bent down to drag Kiganai, while Sasuke glared at the movie crew. "We'll be back in a few minutes. Don't you guys go anyway or do anything stupid."

"That includes you, Sandayuu," Naruto added. "Don't you dare make a move without us."

Sandayuu nodded and held up his hand. "You have my solemn word."

Satisfied, the three Leaf Ninja took their fallen opponents into the forest, where none of the movie crew would have to watch.

**

* * *

**

**8:35 am**

"For the last fucking time, tell us what we want to know! Where's the bastard Doto!? How many Snow Ninja are with him!? Was your village alerted to us coming here!? Why are you creeps even working for that jerk anyway and attacking your rightful ruler!? Where's Mikata and her group, why aren't they kicking ass!? What's the weakness in the Chakra Armor, how does it work?! Where are the Daimyo's forces, are they deployed as well or are they just sitting back getting drunk!? Where's the bastard Nadara and his two flunkies!? What the hell is this backpack thing and the other doohickies!? Does Koyuki have any supporters around? Talk, damn you, we ain't got all day!"

Team 7 was currently standing in front of the three defeated Yuki-nin. Naruto and the others had removed the Yuki-nin's chakra armor equipment, as well as all of their weapon pouches, all of which now lay at the Snow Ninja's feet. The three young adults themselves were tied securely to individual trees, all awake now.

Naruto had eagerly started the interrogation process, which meant that he ranted off questions for ten minutes straight, to which all three just stared at him in silence, not bothering to respond at all to the blond. Sakura and Sasuke had been content to let Naruto work, but now deeply regretted it. Seriously... how did someone manage to talk nonstop like that? It was nerve-racking!

"I can't take it anymore," Sakura mumbled under her breath, while the Uchiha nodded in agreement. Both of them then reached out and grabbed Naruto by the shoulder. Ignoring his loud 'Hey!' of protest, they tossed him backwards to the ground.

"Let me try," Sasuke told the blond, as he knelt down to the one in the middle: Kiganai. "Where's Doto?"

Kiganai didn't answer.

Sasuke turned on his Sharingan and looked directly in the man's eyes. He activated a little of the Curse Seal, just for an added touch. "Tell. Me. _Now."_

If any of the Yuki-nin were intimidated by Sasuke's bloodline and foul curse chakra, they didn't show it. Though Kiganai did speak. "You guys are new at the whole interrogation thing, aren't you?"

"How about I just rip off your head?!" Naruto shouted from his position on the ground.

Sasuke looked rather ticked off at that statement. He grabbed the man's jawline in an iron grip and held his face close to Kiganai's. The Snow Ninja seemed to know exactly what was going to happen because he shut his eyes tightly. In response, Sasuke used his free hand to pry his eyelids open. It took a few attempts, but he managed to crack them open enough for his Sharingan to do it's work as it began rotating at a fast pace. Kiganai slumped slightly as he seemed to go into a daze. "My name is Suigen Kiganai. I am nineteen years old. My birthday is August 8th, making me a Leo. My father is Suigen Aian, my mother Suigen Touji. I am the eldest of three siblings..."

"No," Sasuke grunted, shaking his head slightly. "Tell me where Doto is!"

"Houshu and Furosuto. I graduated from the Academy at the age 12 and was assigned to this team. I became Chunin at 16 and..."

A vein threatened to pop in Naruto's forehead. "We don't care about your freakin' family!" He held up a kunai dangerously. "Why don't you tell us what we want to know or your parents are going to have _two daughters_ very shortly!"

"Naruto..." Sakura spoke up, clearly not pleased with what he said as her voice was in a low and dangerous tone. Looking over at the Uchiha. "Might as well stop now. Looks like they've been trained to resist genjutsu methods. You'd probably have to break his mind to get past it, but then we won't be able to get the information anyway."

Sasuke snarled under his breath, but turned off his bloodline and looked at them. "Then what do we do!?"

Sakura shrugged when she realized both boys were looking directly at her. Sighing, she went over and knelt down, looking at all three. "I don't understand: Doto took control of your country by force, killed his own brother in cold blood, drove his niece away in a panic, oppressed your people, and you're alright with that?"

Again, none of the Yuki-nin spoke, though this time there were some reactions. The woman, Ikusa, looked down, while Kiou looked rather angry. Kiganai – who had recollected himself – merely sighed and shook his head.

Sakura looked at Ikusa. "You are bothered by it, aren't you? Then why won't you help? Why you don't you stand up to him and bring that son of a bitch to justice?"

"Don't you dare speak of Doto-sama that way!" Kiou spoke up instead. "He's the best thing that happened to this country!"

"The best thing!?" Naruto repeated, not believing his ears. "Doto is a bastard who only thinks of his own power and greed!"

"He has vision and purpose!" Kiou countered. "He will lead Snow to its new destiny!"

"Enough," Kiganai said firmly, making Kiou shut up. He looked directly at the three leaf ninjas. "Listen, if the situation was reversed, would you people spill secrets on your country?"

"Our Hokage isn't a ruthless dictator," Naruto countered, his voice dark. "Nor would we allow such a tyrant to come to power."

"You say it like it's so easy." Kiganai said, almost in a whisper. "Or that we were so blind when it happened. I won't pretend that I love or even like Doto, but I am a loyal Snow Shinobi. I will not sell out my village, or my country to our enemy. So just kill us now and be done with it."

At that, the other five shinobi froze on the spot. Ikusa looked at Kiganai like he was insane, while Kiou paled badly. As for the three genin, the same thought was going through their minds: whether they got the information or not, they couldn't just leave these guys alive. This wasn't like the time with the Demon Brothers, where they could leave them tied up for the ANBU to collect. They were in the Snow Country; _they _were the invaders, not the other way around. Any other Snow Ninja would free these three and they would come back all the harder.

It seemed their only option was to slay them here and now...

The three just looked at each other, hoping one of them had an answer to this. It shouldn't be that hard of a decision: the Yuki-nin were the enemy and they had been trained to kill. It was expected on missions and a fundamental rule. Kill them before they could kill you.

So why couldn't any of them muster up the will to do it?

Sakura gulped loudly, looking at her kunai pouch on her leg as she slowly reached for it, though her hand was shaking badly. Sasuke's hand grabbed hers before it reached it and he shook his head. Breathing out a sigh of relief that she wouldn't have to be the one to do it, she calmed down as Naruto stepped forward, a kunai in his hand. "Last chance: talk... or die. There's three of you, so I have two expandables here. Who will it be?"

Again, the Yuki-Nin were silent, though it was clear that they were afraid. Whether they were gambling on Naruto bluffing, or really were willing to die, none of the Konoha nin knew. After a minute of silence passed, Naruto took another step forward, that kunai hovering threateningly as he looked at each of them in turn. The next moment seemed to stretch out like an eternity before Naruto reared his hand back and drove the kunai home.

It landed in the snow at Kiganai's feet, with relief clearly in the man's eyes. "I can't..." Naruto grumbled, as much to himself as to his two friends. "In a fight's one thing... but... not like this..." he hung his head down.

"Fine," came Sasuke's voice. "I'll do it. We can't afford to waste anymore time here." Naruto and Sakura watched as Sasuke casually took up Naruto's kunai and walked towards Kiou. "Five seconds," Sasuke said as Kiou went deathly white.

"Five."

_Will he do it_? Sakura wondered. Could Sasuke really turn himself to ice and take a life?

"Four."

Ikusa closed her eyes and looked away, clearly not wanting to witness this.

"Three."

_He acts like this is nothing, _Naruto thought. _Is that all this is, an act? Or has his goal of killing his brother made him harden so much, this means nothing to him? _At that thought, Naruto briefly wondered if Sasuke was eagerly looking forward to a kill. But, no... not even Sasuke would be like that... right?

"Two."

Kiganai said nothing, he just waited.

"One."

Kiou looked ready to throw up, a few tears were even in his eyes.

"Die."

With that, Sasuke jerked his hand forward, aiming at Kiou's exposed throat. The kunai cut his throat to the point where it hit the tree. Naruto, Sakura, Kiganai and Ikusa all looked on in disbelief, clearly shocked at what Sasuke had just done so causally.

Kiou was crying freely now. The kunai was jabbed into the tree, having only barely cut the right side of his neck.

With everyone waiting for an answer, Sasuke merely stood up and walked back to his teammates, not meeting anyone's gaze. "These three are so weak that it doesn't matter if they come again. We'll just beat them down easier the second time."

_He couldn't do it either,_ both Naruto and Sakura thought happily. Why they were happy about this fact, they weren't really sure, but they didn't care too much. Sasuke gestured to the two of them. "Let's get out of here. Someone will come for them eventually... if they think they're worth it."

"Won't we get in trouble for this?" Sakura asked lightly as the three of them began walking away. "For failing to dispose of the enemy and act professionally?"

Naruto waved her off. "Oh, oba-san yells at me three times a week, and Iruka-sensei every other day. What's one more chew out?"

Sakura actually laughed at that, and even Sasuke offered the faintest of smiles. "That's it?" came Kiganai's voice. "You're letting us live?"

"You want to die so much, ask your friends when they find you," Naruto said, not bothering to look at the three Yuki-nin as they walked off.

"And you think you can overthrow Doto and defeat his forces with this attitude?"

Naruto turned his head back with a foxy smile. "You bet your ass we can." He gave a short wave as he turned back around. "Later."

"... you have to destroy the power seal."

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all stopped and looked back at Kiganai. What did he just say?

"Kiganai!" Kiou shouted, while Ikusa just looked dumbfounded. "What are you doing?"

The Suigen member's answer came easily. "I may not like Doto, but I happen to value my own life and consider it worth something. So I'll tell you about the Chakra Armor."

Naruto gave him his full attention. "So wait... are you going to talk after all? What happened to your loyalty speech?"

"Shut up and listen."

Naruto merely nodded as all three came back to the Yuki-nin.

"The chakra armor, as you know, has the ability to dispel Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, as well as increase one's own chakra capacity several fold. The reason it's limited to Jounin is because the process it takes to create it is delicate and time consuming."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "It is? Why's that?"

Kiganai looked rather amused. "Come now. Clever are you three are, you must have suspected something was off when you fought against the armor the first time around."

"You mean besides dispelling our attacks?" Naruto offered lightly.

"No..." Sakura spoke up, her eyes wide. "It's that each of their armors was _different_."

"Different?" both boys repeated, while Kiganai nodded in approval.

"Points to the young lady. Yes, each set of chakra armor is unique. This is because when the armor is being developed, it's custom-made to the individual's needs. It's made to suit their personality, fighting style, and most importantly, favorite jutsu. Aren't you curious as to why that chakra barrier doesn't cancel out their own ninjutsu attacks?" When he didn't get an answer, he continued. "It's because the barrier is designed to filter out their own chakra, and since everyone's chakra signature is different..."

"... the armor can only be used by the wearer," Naruto supplied, catching on. "That means you can't just swap armors between you and your allies, since that damn barrier will just cancel out any new chakra, even if they are wearing it."

"Correct. It's become our qualification test for potential Jounin. The hopeful must be able to create their own perfectly. You achieve the new rank if your armor passes completely, without failure. If you fail in any part of it, you fail the test right then and there until you manage to succeed the next time."

"That knowledge is critical for afterwards as well," Sasuke said, absorbing this new information. "If it ever gets damaged, they have the knowledge on how to fix it, instead of just being stupefied as to what to do."

"Precisely. The chakra barrier itself is constantly on, but it can be weakened or enhanced as the user deems it necessary. Enhancing it obviously requires more effort on their part. You see, the Chakra Armor does run on their own chakra reserves; it's not a separately powered feature. But since the armor does enhance their reserves as well, it makes it unlikely that they'll run out of chakra."

"How does the armor increase one's chakra?" Sakura asked.

"There are amplifiers built all over the armor. Their chakra will go to the amplifiers, which increase it by twenty five percent and send it back to their reserves; then they send the boosted reserves back to the amplifiers. They constantly bounce the chakra back and forth between the two until you get over three times your normal supply. Our current amplifiers can't produce any results higher than that." Kiganai looked down at the metal backpacks. "Those are called Chakra Packs, the precursors to the Chakra Armor. Like your vests in Konohagakure, they are our symbol for achieving the rank of Chunin. They only double your chakra amount, but even double is still a lot."

Naruto looked down at the Chakra Packs in awe. "Wait... so these things..." he reached down and picked one up. It wasn't too heavy, only about ten pounds. "All we have to do is wear them and it'll double our chakra?"

Kiganai nodded. "That's right. No chakra barrier involved here, so it's free to exchange with whoever." He hesitated for a split second, then added "Three of them... three of you. If you wear them, it'll make your 'mission' all the easier."

Team 7 all glanced at each other as they considered the possibility. There were in a country full of hostile enemy ninjas. Double chakra would be a blessing and a big benefit. Naruto was looking over the pack like it was a new toy for him when his face fell slightly. "Wait... you said this is your symbol for making Chunin? You can't mean _all_ of your Chunin ninjas wear those."

"What's wrong with that?" Kiou asked defensively. He seemed to recover from his little death scare nicely.

"What's wrong? It makes this thing as worthless as it is dangerous! It would be useful for Genin just starting, but you guys all become too reliant on it, so much that if you lose it, you're in deep shit! You use it too much as a crutch to make up for your skills! It's not much better than a drug!"

"Shut your trap!" Kiou countered. "What would you about it, you filthy hypocrite! Your village is full of bloodlines; that's the reason why Konoha's considered the number one village! How is your village's views of being bloodline dominant any different from us using our technology!?"

Naruto's eye grew dark, while Sasuke just looked tensed as well. "Konoha's strength comes for our desire to protect our comrades and those precious to us! Don't you dare ever suggest that it's something else!"

"Of course it's something else! It's all the bloodlines that make you guys powerful! Every other village knows it! Our village only has a precious few, so we had to get to get strong using our own power and wits, training our shinobi hard from the beginning in the Academy, unlike your pitiful methods!"

"What do you do that's so differently?" Sasuke demanded. "You copy the Mist village's former method where graduates kill their own classmates to pass?"

"No..." Ikusa spoke softly, as if unsure she should be talking at all. "Our graduation exam is quite different than yours. Where you have just a simple test on a basic jutsu, we spend a week out in the wilderness in the mountains, regardless of the weather, and return to Yukigakure on the final day before noon to receive our headbands. Though this may not seem all that dangerous, many students have gotten lost, injured, and even died while trying to pass this test."

"That's not all," Kiou spoke up, sounding rather proud of the fact. "During our Academy training, each student will be 'ambushed' at some point by an instructor that they can't possibly defeat, even if they are rookie of the year. The point of it is not to fight, but to get their asses handed to them. To show them just how the enemy will treat you and how your life is on the line. They won't actually kill you, but when you see a full grown adult beat the living daylights out of you... the message sinks in real good. And you never know when that attack will come, so our Academy students are constantly on their guards, because they know the second they let it down..." He let it hang ominously, still clearly proud of the fact.

The three just stared at the Yuki-nin like they were crazy. What kind of twisted way was that to run an Academy!? The Snow Village was lucky they didn't run off all their potential candidates with their ways!

Kiganai seemed to realize exactly what they were thinking. "Just drop it, all of you. We can argue which way is better until the spring comes to the Snow Country, but it won't change anything."

Sasuke sent a deadly look to Kiou, who surprisingly didn't back down or cringe from it, before nodding in consent. Taking the Chakra Pack from Naruto, he looked it over himself. He personally didn't care if the Snow Ninja wore these or not. It just made it all the more exciting for him. The stronger the opponents, the stronger he would become as a result. "If they want to damn themselves, Naruto, let them." Kiou spat at him, but made no response, while Naruto eyed the Chakra Pack for a moment before both of their eyes went looking at their third teammate.

Whether you considered the Chakra Pack a hazard or a benefit, Sakura clearly could use it. Naruto and Sasuke were perfectly fine without one, and while Sakura could hold her own, there was no question that she was the least experienced of them and had the least amount of chakra and stamina. Frankly, she couldn't afford _not_ to use one.

The Haruno caught their eyes and seemed to realize what they were thinking. She didn't look annoyed, or even angry. Just acceptance. Slowly, she took the Chakra Pack from Sasuke's hands and looked at it herself.

Right before she threw it to the ground, shattering it completely.

The three Yuki-Nin just looked at the sight, with Kiou and Ikusa visibly shocked. "That was uncalled for," Kiganai commented, since that one had been his.

"No," Sakura retorted, her voice low with anger, while her gaze grew hard at the three. "What's uncalled for is the fact you let your ninja wear these... _things... _at all. How are you supposed to become stronger if you just let your technology fight for you? What you have is an illusion of strength, not the real thing. And that…" She pointed hard at the debris on the ground. "…is just an insult to all shinobi!"

"Says you," Kiou started, only to be cut off by Kiganai and Sasuke's respective stares. The young man took a hint and kept his mouth shut. While both Naruto and Sasuke felt Sakura could really use the Chakra Pack, they couldn't deny that what she said was true. They were also impressed by what she was aspiring to. Still... they hoped she wasn't making a big mistake by doing this.

In any event, Naruto felt it was time to change the subject. He reached down and picked up a gauntlet and a shin guard in each hand. "What about these? What do they do?"

Thought it may have been Naruto's imagination, Kiganai looked rather relieved to get back on the subject that he promised to speak about. "Both of those are standard pieces of equipment for us, much like kunai. The gauntlet produces a small chakra wave that stimulates the muscles in our arms, making us being able to hit that much harder by a factor of four. The shin guards have a lesser version of the Chakra Barrier. It disrupts all chakra it comes in contact with – including our own – but it has to be touching to do so. In other words, if I wanted to disrupt a fireball, I would have to kick the thing itself for the shin guards to disrupt it. It doesn't have any external range like the Chakra Armor's version does."

Naruto nodded to himself as he processed all this. So Ikusa wasn't a brute strength, crazy woman like Tsunade was. She just had those gauntlet things to do that for her, or something. "What about this power seal you mentioned? What's that about?"

"The power seal is the central component of the Chakra Armor. While it may be the chakra of your body that fuels it, it's the power seal that allows it to work. It looks like a small circle about the size of your fist, half it white and the other half teal."

The three genin thought back to their fight at the iceberg with Nadare, Fubuki and Mizore. Both Sakura and Naruto could remember Mizore well enough and that his power seal was located in the middle of his chest area, while Sasuke noticed that Fubuki had hers on the middle of her wings in the back. None of them were sure where Nadare's was though, since Kakashi had done most of the fighting with him. Sasuke then asked "What happens if the power seal is destroyed? Does the Chakra Armor simply stop working?"

Kiganai actually chuckled softly at that. "Of course not. It does much more than that. Remember, the chakra enhancement part works by continuously bouncing chakra between the pack and themselves, which means that the two are tightly close together. So much that they're _dependent_ on each other. Get the picture yet?"

Naruto's face dawned in comprehension, while a satisfied grin appeared on Sasuke's face and Sakura's eyes raised in realization. So as powerful as this Chakra Armor was, it did have a weakness, and a big one at that! The two being that dependent on each other meant that if one of them was suddenly lost, the ninja was going to feel like he suddenly lost a huge amount of chakra all at once! Such a sharp drop without warning would cause a severe shock to them! If it was bad enough, it might even outright kill them! This was huge!

"Don't forget," Kiganai warned, jerking all three of them out of their thoughts. "The power seals are still protected by the Chakra Barrier, as well as the shinobi's own personal skills. It'll be no easy feat."

Sasuke looked at them like they were Academy students who just said you used Fire to defeat Water. "The Chakra Armor may be strong, but it's not invincible. An exploding tag in the right spot could do all the damage we need. Or hell, strike the neck or head hard enough to knock them out. Chakra Armor can't protect from physical blows. Just because all you think it's hopeless to fight back – "

"_We tried!"_ Ikusa suddenly spoke up. Her voice was full of desperation and tears were pouring down her cheeks. "We tried..." she continued meekly.

"You didn't try hard enough," Naruto countered, not necessarily in a hard, reprehending tone, but a firm voice, one used to inform a child they had done wrong. "You gave up. All of you should have rallied behind Tanomoshii Mikata and aided Sousetsu when it first happened and stopped all this madness before it even began!"

"_You don't understand! Mikata-sama... the __Saati Koukennin... they're dead! They're all _dead!" Ikusa wailed loudly as tears continued falling.

Naruto visibly gasped at this, while Sakura was looking at her like this was some bad joke. Even Sasuke was surprised by this statement. "They're dead?" Naruto repeated.

Ikusa just nodded a few times. "When... when the coup happened... Mikata and her Guardians were out of the village... there were rumors that the Water Country might be making a move against us, since we were enemies in the last Shinobi war…" _and Water was your ally_, she added silently, not wishing to provoke them more by adding the fact that Leaf and Snow were old war opponents. "... she and her men began to scout the borders... make sure it was true while the rest of the village mobilized... then Doto came, proclaiming that he was now the new Daimyo because Sousetsu, Mikata and her men were traitors to the country and that they were trying to set up an invasion by the Mist to our land and how Doto had stopped them... and then he held up Mikata's lifeless body... to show that he had personally saved us from them and had personally killed one of the two ringleaders..."

Doto defeated Mikata!? What the hell? From what they said about Doto, he was more of a politician, not a fighter! And Mikata was supposed to be one of the strongest in the village!

So how did Doto manage to defeat someone like that!?!

Sakura shook her head. "Wait, wait... back up. Doto called _Sousetsu_ and them _traitors?!"_ After getting a nod, the pink-haired girl nearly shouted the next words. "_And you believed him!?!"_

Ikusa suddenly became interested in studying the snow on the ground. "Doto presented... evidence... testimony... some believed right away... many others were doubtful though... and it became all the more confusing when the Saati Koukennin started coming back and calling all of Doto's words lies... the Saati Koukennin then tried to avenge their leader, but they were still scattered and lacked a real leader to guide them... and that quickly engulfed the entire country... Feudal lords started quarreling as well, the Snow Village became more and more divided as to what to believe as they tried to discover the truth...

"Small-scale battles often broke out between the Feudal lords and their personal forces..." she continued, still looking at the snow. "Yukigakure came very close to destroying itself because of this... we came so close to a full-scale civil war so many times... for seven long years we had civil unrest that threatened to tear apart our country forever, and all the while the San Eihei..."

"The who?"

"The three you fought, Rouga Nadare, Kakuyoku Fubuki and Fuyukuma Mizore, are known as the San Eihei in our country. Doto's strongest shinobi under him. It became their mission to exterminate the Saati Koukennin. One by one, each of the Guardians fell to the San Eihei. Doto made each death a public acknowledgment to the rest of us, as the San Eihei began to keep score amongst themselves to see who could kill the most of them. The last Guardian was killed three years ago, with Nadare killing thirteen, Fubuki killing nine, and Mizore killing eight. When the last one died, the land finally calmed itself down. With the last vocal voice for Sousetsu slain, no one was willing to stand up to Doto anymore, and Yukigakure was under his control completely. Either they believed him now, they didn't care... or they were too scared." She nearly had to choke out those last few words. "Especially with the establishment of the Hell Asylum."

"The what?" All three of them asked, but no Yuki-nin made an attempt to answer. They all looked disgusted and sick at the mention of the name. Just what was it that made them, including Kiou, who clearly supported Doto, clam up with feelings of fear and disgust? Each of them tried to get one of the Yuki-Nin to tell them what this thing was, but it was clear they wouldn't do so. Whatever it was... it scared them deeply.

Once Team 7 realized it was futile, they began considering the new problem. Mikata and her Guardians were dead and Yukigakure was under Doto's thumb. So much for some Snow Shinobi supporting them. They knew that the possibility had been remote, but until now, it had been possible. And if ninja like Ikusa – who clearly hated Doto – was going to obey, then all of them were. It really was just the three of them against an entire village.

Great...

It also raised a new question amongst themselves: If all of Snow was serving Doto now, whether they liked it or not, then how was Koyuki supposed to gain the throne? She had no support of her own. Save Sandayuu, all those that would have supported her were either dead, or too scared to fight back any longer. How the hell was she supposed to take the throne, never mind the fact that she still refused to do such a thing in the first place! This fucking changed everything!

"We're going to have to change our plans some..." Sasuke muttered under his own breath. Assassinating Doto no longer seemed like enough, so what the hell were they supposed to do!?

His two teammates nodded in agreement as all eyes focused on Kiou. "What?" the man asked defensively.

Naruto pointed at Kiganai and Ikusa. "Those two told us about the Chakra Armor and what happened to Mikata. Now it's your turn to cough up: tell us where Doto is!"

Kiou looked at his teammates with clear contempt in his eyes. "Fine... not that it'll do you any good. Doto-sama's castle is about 65 kilometers northwest of here. Go walk into the meatgrinder for all I care." A smile on his face then appeared next. "And do take care to get killed by the Loyalists."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "The Loyalists?"

"The faction of Yuki-nin that are completely loyal to Doto-sama. Being a member of the Loyalists grants you special privileges and status, making everyone else seem second class citizens," Kiou told them proudly. "It's rather difficult to be accepted into the group, since pure loyalty is only one factor for admittance. You'll recognize a Loyalist by a silver emblem of an iron fist on their chests. And you better be prepared to kill them, because you'll have a snowball's chance in hell to get one of them to talk, or give up."

Now it was Sakura's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Really? Then how come the "San Eihei" don't wear those?"

"They don't need to, stupid. They're the freakin' mascots and the very symbol of the Loyalists. Everyone knows who they are!"

"So now you kids know," Kiganai said suddenly, drawing all their eyes to him. "You have no chance of succeeding here. No one is going to help you and everyone is going to be after you. Even if you do manage to kill Doto, which you won't, no one is going to accept Koyuki-hime as the new ruler." He paused for a moment, then spoke in a more sincere voice. "You three have guts for trying something like this, I'll grant you that, but you're all still young. Get out now while you still have the chance. Not all missions end in success. Sometimes you have to cut your losses. Leave."

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all looked at each other for a moment before they said unanimously. "No."

Kiganai reacted like he had been slapped. "What?"

"We already decided before arriving that we were going to see this mission through to the end," Naruto answered firmly, with Sakura and Sasuke nodding their consent. "And we don't break our words."

"Don't you freakin' understand!?" Kiganai actually yelled, surprising Ikusa and Kiou completely. Kiganai never yelled. "It's been tried, and every single attempt has failed! You three could try for a hundred years straight and still never prevail!"

"Then we'll do it for _two _hundred years, even if I have to crawl on my stomach and gum you all to death until we do succeed!" Naruto boasted, while Sakura shook her head playfully and Sasuke just gave a small sigh. "That my nindo, because the second you gave up, you already lost!"

Kiganai just looked at the young blond in pure disbelief. That's when the entire group heard a loud 'Naruto-kun!' Looking back, they saw Kaijo running over to them. "We've got a big problem!"

All three tensed up immediately. "What is it? The enemy?" the one-eyed boy demanded. Were they under attack again so soon!?

"No! Worse! Yukie ran away again!"

All three of the shinobi slumped their shoulders slightly. Damn it! Why now? Behind them, Kiou laughed softly at their predicament. "Seems the princess is smarter than you three."

"Shut up," Sasuke answered in a dark tone. Kiou gave a small gulp and complied. Ignoring the Assistant Director's questioning look about the three prisoners, Sasuke turned to the other two. "We'll have to find her. Spread out and search. Use the radios if you find her. Keep in touch every fifteen minutes."

The two uttered 'Hai' as they leapt away to go find the wayward Princess... though what they would do afterwards, not one of them knew.

* * *

**Omake!**

With that, Kiganai ran up to the car and flung the door open...

… only to find a grey-and-white anthropomorphic rabbit wearing women's clothing and make-up (Note: It's Bugs Bunny), primping himself in front of a mirror. Upon Kiganai's entry, the rabbit quickly turned around, eyes widening in surprise. "AAAAAHHHHH!!" he screamed as he attempted to cover himself.

"Oh, sorry!" said Kiganai hurriedly as he quickly shut the door and propped his back against it, an embarrassed blush on his face.

"Hey, wait a minute!" He immediately opened the door again…

…only to come face-to-face with a full-grown lion poking its head through the doorway. "RAAAAAAAWWWWWRRRR!!!!!!!" it roared in Kiganai's face, causing him to slam the door shut yet again.

"What the hell is going on?!" he complained. Even the other four ninjas who had been fighting had stopped to watch what was happening, being just as confused as he was. Taking a chance, he opened the door again…

… to find a young man in a white leisure suit dancing to a strange beat under the light of a glittering mirror ball hanging from the ceiling. "_Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive! Stayin' alive!_" came the lyrics of the song, causing Kiganai to sweatdrop."_Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' aliiiiiiiiiiiii…_" Kiganai closed the door again.

"That's it!" he yelled in frustration. "If I open this door again and don't find the princess behind it, I'm leaving!" He then wrenched the door open once again…

…and got flung back through the air by a giant metal spring rigged up behind the door. He then hit a tree twenty feet away and got knocked out.

Inside the car, Sakura and Koyuki slapped each other five.

(Credit goes to Paintball-Gamer for creating this omake)

* * *

**(Author's Note) **And with that, the next chapter is done! One chapter I've been looking forward to doing for a while since I got to introduce Alpha Team (or as I like to call them, Team Symbolic since there's one pro Doto, one anti Doto and a neutral one). I've had the concept for these guys for a while – though not the individual names – and was quite happy I finally got to use them.

And from them, we learned quite a bit of stuff about the current situation of Snow: everyone is following Doto, like Mikata, the Thirty Guardians are deceased, what has happened to Snow since Doto took over, quite a bit on how the Chakra Armor works, as well as other gadgets the Snow Ninja carry. Even a look at their own training customs. Also had a few questions pop up, such as how someone like Doto could defeat a shinobi village leader, what exactly was happening around the time of the coup and how Koyuki is supposed to get the throne without any support (Sandayuu notwithstanding)? And to top things off, Koyuki tries to run away again. And if you think I'm not cutting Team 7 any breaks or slack, just wait until you see what else I pull in the next few chapters. You ain't seen nothing yet, ha ha! (Yes, I like to torment my characters. Makes the story all that more interesting when they have to deal with a lot of responsibilities and problems, as opposed to just handing them everything. That's no fun. Hey, with great fame comes many enemies and problems. That's the price you pay).

The little scoring system between the Yuki-Sannin, or San Eihei if you prefer, on the killings of the 30 Guardians is how I personally rank Nadare, Fubuki and Mizore's skills and abilities in comparison to one another.

I had many different ideas on how to handle the interrogation scene featured in this chapter, with a very big question I had: would the Legacy Version of Team 7 kill the Snow Shinobi once they're done? I could see arguments for both sides of it and could picture Team 7 killing them at the end just as much as not being able to kill them. After chatting with Tellemicus about possibilities, I came up with the current version, and I rather like it.

Speaking of Tellemicus, I owe him a BIG THANKS for all the help he gave me on this chapter, especially in regards to how the Chakra Armor worked, as well suggesting the other gadgets – namely, the Strength Gaunlets and Chakra Disrupting Shin Guards – for Chunin level Snow Shinobi to use.

Translations (side note, some of them are rough translations, but they should translate out as I have them. I hope).

Kiganai – (1) to be uninterested; (2) indifferent; listless  
Ikusa – war; battle; campaign; fight  
Kiou – to get worked up; to be eager (enthusiastic); to rouse oneself  
Suigen – source of river; fountainhead  
Aian – iron  
Touji – winter solstice  
Houshu – gem; jewel  
Furosuto – frost

**Menkurau Enmu**--_Bewildering Fog _(roughly)//A ninjutsu technique that creates a large, or small, depending on how much area the user wishes to affect, fog over an area. This fog sends out subtle chakra signals that are difficult to detect to the eyes of all those within the fog, messing with their sense of direction in addition to thickness of the fog itself, which is not as dense as the Mist's Kirigakure no Jutsu. The less of an area the fog affects, the more effective it's misdirection becomes. As the fog only affects sight, Ikusa can send out specialized chakra waves from her eyes to neutralize the affect to herself, allowing her to move freely in it. This is can be taught to others if Ikusa desire so. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Ikusa)

**Hyouton: Tsurara Ishuu no Jutsu--**_Ice Release:__Icicle Swarm_//A Hyouton technique that creates razor sharp, but fragile icicles – all roughly a foot long – out of Kiou's surroundings: snow on the ground, an ice wall, even moisture from the air, assuming there's enough available, etc, then propels them with a small, but intense burst of wind. Can create as many icicles over as wide of an area as he wants, provided he has enough chakra. (Low C-Class Ninjutsu) (Kiou)

**Hyouton: Hyouheki--**_Ice Releasen:__Ice Wall_//A Hyouton jutsu that creates a ten foot ice wall for protection against incoming attacks. Notably affective against Suiton and Katon class ninjutsu, where it can potentially freeze a suiton, or douse, if not completely extinguish, katons when it melts the ice. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Hyouton: Hiru Aisu no Jutsu**--_Ice Release:_ _Leech Ice_//A secret technique of the Suigen Clan. Creates ice that attaches itself to a ninja and sucks out blood, warmth, and chakra. The more ice on the person, the more devastating the effect becomes until the victim is sucked dry completely. The amount that is absorbed, the adhesion ability, as well as how quickly the leech ice is created is heavily dependent on the skill of the user, as a common flaw is to focus too heavily on one property at the cost of another. A true master of this jutsu can have all three properties so efficiently that a victim can be completely drained within seconds of contact. Since the Leech Ice attaches to people indiscriminately, Suigen Clan members typically attach the ice to melee weapons to avoid this problem, such as Kiganai's metal claws. (Low A-Class Ninjutsu) (Kiganai)

**Doton: Ganseki Gunte no Jutsu**--_Earth Release:_ _Rock Gloves_ (roughly)//A Doton created as the result of Sakura's experimentation with earth during her training with the Mizu Hoippu. The earth covers her hands in the form of boxing gloves with spikes and hardens to form a strong type of glove that increases her physical punching power. Like her Daichi Kobura, Sakura can harden the earth even more to make the effect more apparent. However, because of this, it locks Sakura's hands in place, making her unable to form any seals until she ditches the gloves. (Mid-D-Class Ninjutsu) (Sakura)

Side note: This idea was conceived way back in the beginning of the story before Tellemicus made this fic canon to his own series. I had considered making a number of throwaway jutsu that could be used solely for this fic, then discarded so it would not disrupt anything that Tellemicus established in his own works. This move was one of them. After some thought, I decided to go ahead and use it anyway (and for reference, the same can be said about Naruto's Kunai Soufuu Atsu, Sasuke's Shuurai no Jutsu, and Sakura's Aikurushii Sakura also fit in this category). I think it's also fair to mention that Sakura did create and mastered this during the time of experimentation and give it's just a basic move, I don't believe a lot of time or effort was needed. Perhaps I should had hinted at it's creation or even mentioned it beforehand, but I couldn't really find the right time to.

**Hyouton: Aisu Bomu no Jutsu--**_Ice Release: Ice Bomb_//By using freezing winds or water, one creates a ball of ice, about three times larger than a standard baseball. Once it touches something, an enemy, a tree branch or whatever, it will explode into a shower of sharp ice shards of various sizes in all directions. (Low C-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Hyouton: Toramisairu no Jutsu**--_Ice Release:_ _Tiger Missile_//Creates an ice tiger out of ice that rushes towards the target that can cause extensive injuries in the form of cuts, severe blunt damage and crushing weight. This move focuses more on power at the expense of speed. This is Yukigakure's equivalent to the Goukakyuu no Jutsu. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu ) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	16. Hell in a Handbasket

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 16: Hell in a Handbasket_

**(Author's Note) **Just a fair warning, there's a bit more usage of profanity in this chapter than normal.

**8:50 am**

**Koyuki**

She didn't know where she was going and she didn't care. With her three shinobi "bodyguards" preoccupied with a surprise Yuki-nin attack and the fog they had created, it was very easy to slip out of the car with everyone's attention on the battles. Due to the fog, she had ended up running into three different cars before the fog disappeared and allowed her to regain her bearings. As fortune would have it, no one noticed her, so she continued running, determined to get out of this country however she could. If she was fast enough, maybe... just maybe... she could get back to the boat. The boat wouldn't be able to leave quickly. With re-supplying alone, it should take half a day at least. She just needed to keep running.

She had just finished running out of the long mountain tunnel passage that the caravan of cars exited not too long ago. She paused slightly as she tried to catch her breath and determine which way she should go now. She had little doubt that those three Genin would triumph in their fights. After what she'd seen them do, both on the boat and at the iceberg, she knew their skills were far superior to what a first glance would indicate. It wasn't a question in her mind whether they would win; it was how long it would take them. Once they were done, they would be after her like hounds on a rabbit.

This time, though, she was ready for them. Carefully reaching into her pocket, she took out a few smelling salts she had acquired before leaving the ship. The blond fool wouldn't be able to follow her scent this time. After applying them to her feet and around her, she jumped down the side of the road where it sloped. Half sliding and half running, she continued downwards until she reached the bottom, where she nearly lost her balance.

Once she regained her footing, she quickly flung out some more of the salts. Once she was satisfied, she jumped to a low tree branch. Holding as tightly as she could, she began to swing her feet back and forth, gaining momentum with each swing. After a few moments of swinging, she let go and flew forward about seven meters to the ground. Landing with little difficulty, she quickly jumped on top of a large rock that was right next to her. Though she nearly slipped on it, she managed to jump to another tree branch.

This time when she landed, she took off running again. The wind picked up for just an instant, chilling her to the bone despite the heavy, warm clothes she had on. It had been so long since she had been here; she had forgotten just how merciless the weather could be. Looking at the sky, she saw that in the distance, the clouds were gathering. Leftovers from the small storm last night? Or...

She shook her head, as it would do no good to worry about such things right now. She just wanted out of here. Why couldn't anyone, especially _Naruto,_ understand that? She wanted no part in this country. It wasn't even her home anymore. Her home had been destroyed that night ten years ago by her uncle. Doto scared her. Though she could barely remember him before the coup, he always had this presence of strength, similar to an iron wall. Strong and forbidding, and carried a weight that could crush you in an instant if you weren't aware. And that was just what happened... Doto crushed her father... everything she knew and loved... completely and without regards to a simple five-year-old at the time.

Everyone, Sandayuu, Naruto, the ninja, the movie crew, all of them expected her to pick up a sword and fight for her country... but what was she supposed to be fighting for? Her parents were dead and what happy faces she could remember were gone. She did not know the people in this country, so how could she possibly fight for them? It was unfair. They argued that she was the Princess and it was her responsibility as such to help her people, but what good would that title do if it meant nothing to her? She had given up that life, name, and responsibility when she left Snow all those years ago.

When she and Kakashi had left and went to the mainland, Kakashi was fully determined to take her back to the village. There, he had assured her, she would be safe. Even to her child's mind, she knew that she wouldn't be safe at the Hidden Leaf. It would mean that those surviving followers of her father would rally to her in that village and fling her back to Snow to "lead" them to stop her uncle, back to all the fear and violence. On the justification that it was her duty as the Princess.

Just like they were now.

On the way to Konoha, Koyuki had snuck off one night while Kakashi was asleep. Though she was tired, she forced herself to run and run. She didn't care where she went, she just knew if she stayed with the man, she would be dragged back to the Snow Country.

She had fully expected the Leaf ANBU to follow her, but for some reason, he never came. She ran for two days before collapsing on the ground due to her exhaustion and hunger. She couldn't remember how long she lay on the ground there until an old man found her. He fed her, took care of her, and helped her get back on her feet. His name had been Kai, an old man of 74. He had been alone for many years now for reasons he did not wish to talk about, and since she didn't want to talk about her past, it worked out perfectly for them. For three years, she lived with the man. He was harsh and strict, but he was kind and made sure she was well fed and taken care of. That was all she needed. It was during this time he gave her a name. Her _true _name now: Yukie. Then, one night, Kai had a heart attack in the middle of the night and died. Both frightened and alone again, Koyuki took off running again.

She went to the next village, where she stayed on the outskirts for a few weeks before learning the truth of the past three years from careless gossip. Kai was a retired ANBU operative of Konoha. One known for his absolute loyalty to the Third Hokage.

She saw the entire plan now: Kakashi didn't try to catch her because they were going to have Kai find her. That's why he never tried to come after her; she wouldn't be surprised if he had used some genjutsu to steer her in the right direction. He knew exactly where she was the entire time. All of Konoha did. Kai must have agreed because the Third asked him to. By keeping her with Kai, she was safely hidden in a remote location with an expert ANBU watching out for her. And looking back, Kai had done a lot of writing. For his journal, he had told her, but now she was sure it was update letters to Konoha.

Yet, there came two crucial flaws: they left Kai alone in his duties and only anticipated external threats. An unexpected heart attack changed everything and ruined their plan. And she was going to make sure they wouldn't find her again.

For the next two years, she wandered the Fire Country, drifting from place to place. Sometimes, she would stay with strangers who offered their kindness, but she made a point never to stay with anyone again. She panhandled where she could and got by how she could. She did this often by singing and dancing in cities or villages that she came across. She never had to do any of the... darker... elements one might expect to survive, and for that, Koyuki was very grateful.

It was during one of her performances that Makino had first met her. Something about her enticed him; what that was, she was never able to find out, but he kept saying she was perfect. Naturally, Koyuki took the response in the wrong type of manner possible and fled on sight. Wherever she went, though, Makino was already there waiting for her, as if he knew all along where she would be running. After the third time, Makino caught up and threw her over his shoulder as he walked away, laughing his head off at her antics, colorful words and futile resistance efforts.

And instead of becoming the man's plaything like she feared, she was pleasantly surprised to be bought a full four-course meal and a hotel room where she could shower. He even bought her fresh new clothes. She ended up eating so much, she was sick for the next three days, but that didn't deter the man. Once she recovered, he told her that he was a director and wanted her in his current film. He promised lots of money for her efforts, as well as room and board. Still a bit suspicious of the man, but having no better options for herself, she agreed.

The movie was the first of the Princess Gale series. Her role was supposed to be a small dependent girl to Gale. She was supposed to be the cute, adorable girl one saw in the movies, something she snorted at herself. During the filming, though, a very unexpected turn came about: everyone was completely enthralled and enchanted by Koyuki's performance. So much so that after only three weeks of Koyuki's presence, Makino was going through and completely rewriting the script, so that instead of a young 18 year old bachelorette saving the day, it would be a small, innocent child who would take up the burden and bring about the beauty of the rainbow! The Princess Gale series would now feature this child extensively, allowing the movies to show the character's and child's growth simultaneously, so that the audience would adapt and identify themselves with it!

Makino offered her a full contract. It would allow her everything she ever needed: riches, fame, food, everything she ever needed. When asked for her name, she gave the name Fujikaze Yukie, the last name made up on the spur of the moment, not that any of them could tell. And so began her career for the next five years as the actress of Princess Gale. And her personal quest to bury her past and forget who she had been.

And if it hadn't been for this trip... she would have succeeded.

She stopped suddenly as she took a couple of deep breaths, wanting to push out those memories. It had been ages since she had thought about her past or lifestyle. It wasn't something she wanted to do. Breathing much more easily now, she carefully backtracked on her footprints to help hide her trail. Once she was satisfied, she jumped on top of a fallen log and began running across it. However, she slipped at the end and as a result went flying down on the ground. She hit the snow so hard it left her momentarily stunned, her body not willing to move, much less get up from the cold. She willed her body to move again and again, but only succeeded in her eyes closing.

_A five-year-old Koyuki walked down the same darkened hallway she had so many times before. Ahead was the room her father had spent so many hours in. Peeking through the door, she saw him as he always was: sitting on the floor surrounded by all sorts of mirrors._

"_Look carefully; you should be able to see your future."_

_As usual, her father always seemed to know she was there. Walking slowly into the room, she came up to the closest of the mirrors. She gave it a careful look as her head went up and down at her reflection, before she finally said "I can't see anything."_

_This time, her father turned to her with a cheerful smile on his face. "You will," he promised. "That's right. When Spring comes, you'll be able to see it."_

"_Spring?"_

_The smile on her father's face grew even bigger as he nodded._

'Otousan, you liar... there was no Spring in the Snow Country.'

With that thought, Koyuki found new fire and resolve within her as she felt her eyes open. She was getting out of this hell of a country.

"Next time, you might want to forget using smelling salts. Sure, they hide your scent, but they stand out so much in the environment that all I have to do is follow it."

Koyuki froze where she was. No... it couldn't be. Not again. Against her will, she found herself looking back the way she came.

Sure enough, Uzumaki Naruto in all his glory was standing there, looking at her like a disapproving parent. "How much longer are you going to run until you're satisfied?"

Determined not to let him see her like this (her own sense of pride would never allow it!), she forced herself to her feet. "Until you I get away from all of you."

Naruto had to clench his fists to keep himself from losing his temper. What was the deal with this woman? At times she acted nice and caring, then immediately went back to the cold-hearted bitch he knew so well. "You _aren't_ going to get rid of us. Get it through your head!"

"I don't need you! Any of you! Especially you, kusemono!"

"Oh really? Then I suppose sleeping on the snow seemed like a good idea!?"

Koyuki didn't even bother to try and come up with a retort for that one. She merely turned around and started storming off. There should have been a river nearby... if she could just get to it, she would be able to lose him by...

A kunai slammed into a tree right by her face. It had been so close, she had felt the metal touching her skin as it flew by. She nearly felt her heart jump out of her chest as she came to a dead stop.

"And what do you think you'll accomplish by going off alone?" Naruto demanded. He spoke in a softer tone, but Koyuki could still feel the weight in his voice. "Will you take another nap in the Snow? Or what if one of Doto's men found you? What would you do then, huh!?"

"Who cares!?" she shrieked out, partly surprising Naruto. Not because she was being loud about it, but because she sounded like she was about to cry. "I never wanted to come back here!"

"You had to come back! You can't keep running from your past!"

"Why not!? The past can't be changed!!"

"Then why the hell are you still living in it!?"

It felt like Naruto had punched her again. "Remember what you told me!?" the boy demanded suddenly. "That while I can't understand your pain, you can't understand mine!? That doesn't mean I haven't encountered your type of pain before! The jerk Sasuke lost his entire Clan a couple years ago and was a hell of a lot like you! I got to keep on hearing this same bullshit out of him all the time! I get it; I _got it_! Your entire world is gone and I don't know how that feels! And you want to know what his solution was to the horrors of the past!? It was to seek revenge at all costs! He became so immersed in it that he nearly abandoned everything he had left to get his revenge! And you want to know how that's even better than what you're doing!?"

Despite herself, she gave a small nod. She had heard all about the Uchiha; how he was the last of his Clan and his apparent defection that turned out to be a hoax. It had been a subject of considerable discussion among her fellow actors when they heard about it. How could someone who nearly abandoned everything he had for the sole sake of revenge be considered better than what she was doing?

Naruto didn't answer right away. He seemed content to let her dwell on the possibilities before he answered. Finally, he did. "It's because he was _doing_ something about his past. He didn't just sit on his butt and wallow in self-pity about how cruel or unfair the world is. Life fucking sucks, whoop-dee-freakin'-doo! But it only sucks as long as you continue to whine and complain about how awful your life is until you fucking do something to change it!"

Koyuki gave a sharp burst of breath. "But you can't change the past... no matter how hard you try or may want to," she said in a soft voice.

"No," Naruto agreed with her, his one eye looking directly into both of hers. "But you can change the future. You want a better life than what happened in your past? Then you have to have to change your attitude and your ways and the first step to doing that is to confront your past!" He drew in a slow breath as he considered his next words. "You're not the only one who's suffered. Never mind you, me, and Sasuke, but just look at the others on this damn movie crew: Sakura-chan nearly fell into a deep depression because she thought she was useless; Hidero lost the love of his life because of society's stupid rules and the self-centered arrogance of the wealthy! I'd bet you a thousand ryo that if you talked to the others, you would find we all have some sort of trauma we have to overcome! Hell, it's in Konoha as well! Hinata-chan was considered worthless by her family and nearly disowned by them! Neji lost his father due to Kumo's deception and was filled with anger and bitterness! Don't even get me started on all that happened to Gaara and his lifestyle!"

Koyuki was silent at all this ranting towards her until she felt a prick on her neck. Giving an impulsive slap, Naruto looked at her curiously. "What is it?" Not giving a response yet, she drew back her hand and saw a small needle in her hand. Then she felt her body begin to shut down as she slowly fell to the ground again.

"What are you..." Naruto stopped suddenly as he jumped backwards to dodge another needle coming straight at him. Looking up, he saw another Yuki-Nin standing on a tree branch. She grinned widely as she held the dart shooter to her mouth again and blew out a series of needles. Moving to his left, he sent a series of shuriken right at the Snow Ninja, deflecting the needles easily as his other hand touched his radio. "This is Naruto, I - !"

He cut off immediately as he saw another shuriken coming at him from the side, cutting his radio line and killing the damn thing. Looking at the thrower, he saw it was another Yuki-Nin standing there, watching him with amusement in his eyes. He even held up a finger and shook a few times as if to say 'naughty boy.'

"Hyouton: Tatsu Juugan no Jutsu!" Naruto jerked his head back to see the first one form a small ice dragon that came flying towards him. With a few quick gestures of on his right, he shouted "Kaze Kiwa!", then slammed the swirling winds right into the ice dragon, shattering it quite easily. Letting the winds die out, he crossed his fingers and cried "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Eight more of him appeared. Dividing themselves into three groups, one went towards the kunoichi in the tree, another towards the male on the ground, while the third moved to cover Koyuki, who was lying on the snow, unable to move. That needle had been coated with a paralyzing drug. While her body refused to move, her mind and eyes were still very active. She felt the clones' hands pick her up and begin hauling her away, while the two Yuki-Nin battled the Narutos. The female jumped down from the tree and grabbed the first clone, throwing it over her shoulder, where it slammed into the tree. She then delivered a kick that destroyed the second one as she pulled out a kunai, which slammed into the one Naruto was using. They both fell to the ground, then rebounded and dashed at each other, with kunais dancing through the air as the weapons tried to meet flesh.

He blocked her next overhead strike, then side-kicked her in the stomach, sending her crashing into a tree. Spinning around to face his other opponent, he was surprised to see the man was just casually leaning against a tree, his arms crossed as he just watched.

"What, were you expecting me to attack with your back turned?" he asked lightly. "Two on one's not a fair fight. I'm not going to ambush you like that."

That was when Naruto saw a shadow on the ground. Instinct taking over, he reached behind him and grabbed the woman's arm. With a mighty fling, he threw her over his shoulder and onto the ground. "At least... _I _won't," he added.

The woman's foot then came up and hit Naruto squarely in the face. Damn, she was limber! "I'll never understand your sense of honor, Homare," the kunoichi, Shiga, spoke from her position on the ground. Her Chakra Pack had taken the brunt of the damage. Her eyes widened as the boy's fist came down for her, but she managed to roll out of the way in time. Springing to her feet, she saw that the boy's face wasn't covered in blood as she expected. Instead, there was a slight red imprint from her boot, as well as a very pissed off look in the boy's eye.

_So... he tilted his head and had his headband take the brunt of my kick, decreasing the force by half_, she thought to herself. These kids were clever and skilled.

"I'll be sure to re-educate you after this mission, then," Homare answered playfully.

"SHUURAI NO JUTSU!"

A lightning blast came flying through the trees towards Shiga, while Homare noticed several shuriken coming towards him. Both managed to dodge the initial strikes, but the lightning strike hit the ground and flung up a large amount of snow, blinding the kunoichi. Naruto then saw Sasuke's flying form come and deliver a kick to the woman's head... only to have her become a log.

Sasuke uttered a silent curse as he looked at Naruto. "Everything alright? What happened?"

"For the most part," Naruto admitted, rubbing his face. "Found Koyuki, got into an argument, then got ambushed. You know, the usual." He looked around as the snow began falling back to the ground. "Where's Sakura?"

The other boy raised an eyebrow. "You mean she's not here?"

"Hyouton: Puraido no Raions!"

Both boys looked to see about nine lions made of ice beginning to form in a circle with the two of them right in the middle. They all roared, then one charged them. Both leapt out of the way as the others then moved in twos and threes. Sasuke was able to dodge them with his Sharingan on, while Naruto created several clones to take the hits instead of himself. Once all nine were spent, Sasuke spotted the female Snow Ninja, who was already forming another seal set. "She's mine," the Uchiha declared as he rushed her.

Naruto was about to protest that she was his opponent on principle until a small sphere hit the ground right next to his foot. Jerking backwards, he saw the male Snow Ninja looking directly at him, but that's not what had startled Naruto. Had this guy just...?

"You will fight me, boy. Fuuton: Kaze Rezaa Mari!"

It was! This man had used a Wind technique! He was a Fuuton user, just like himself!

Sweet!

Grabbing a kunai, he ran through the seals at lightning speed. "Fuuton: Kunai Soufuu Atsu!"

Naruto's spinning razor wind surged forward and collided with Homare's spinning razor ball. Naruto's technique had the edge in sharpness, but Homare's was far more condensed, making it tougher to drill. The two Fuuton techniques battled back and forth for supremacy as they continued to shred into each other until they faded into nothing.

The two shinobi looked at each other carefully after that (ignoring what was going on in the background as Sasuke chased Shiga all over while trading bloody insults). The Yuki-Nin broke the silence. "So my eyes did not deceive me. You are a Fuuton user."

"How's that possible?" Naruto asked, beside himself. He couldn't help himself when it came to learning more about jutsu. "You're a Snow Ninja. Shouldn't you be using Ice moves?"

Homare seemed to consider the question. "Let me give you a crash course on Hyouton style. There are two ways of creating and using ice techniques." He formed some seals and the ice on the ground began forming into the Tiger Missile, thought it was obvious the man had no intention of using it. "The first is to use pre-existing ice all around you and mold it into whatever jutsu you are trying to create." The tiger crumbled, then a surging wind kicked up that began forming the Tiger Missile seemingly out of thin air. "The second way is to actually create ice from scratch. As you may or may not know, Ice is not a natural element, like those that the five great villages are named after. It's a hybrid element, meaning that it is the fusion of two different elements. For Ice, it's Wind and Water."

Naruto's eye widened slightly at that revelation. "Wait a minute... you mean _all _of the Yuki-Nin are adept in Wind and Water _on top _of Ice!?" He had heard that by the time most people were Jounins, they were only really proficient in two elements; but from what this guy was saying, the entire village could use up to _three _elements expertly!? That was just outrageous! Not even Konoha had standards like that! "That's like saying... it's an entire village of bloodlines!" An entire village of Hakus was freakin' scary!

The man shook his head. "No, it is not. Not in the way you are thinking. First off, you are right in thinking that a hybrid element is the result of a bloodline, but that's when you use the two elements simultaneously to create something new. The Snow Village doesn't do that. Instead, we build off the elements, using one first, then adding the other to create ice. It's not as efficient as together, but it gets the job done. Supposedly, there was a Clan of Hyouton users in the Water Country – though their name escapes me at the moment – who could form Ice as a result of their bloodline. Stories say that skilled users could even do it in places like the Wind Country."

At this time, Sasuke fired another lightning bolt, which hit Shiga's Chakra Pack. After ditching it, she gave him the bird as she attempted to strike back with another Dragon Bullet, which Sasuke dodged easily enough.

"Second off," the Snow Wind User continued. "No, not all Yuki-nin are proficient in Fuuton and Suiton ninjutsu, though a majority of our shinobi are capable of all three through a result of training. Many others, mainly beginners, simply use pre-existing ice. On top of that, like any other village, we do have people who specialize in the other elements. It's rare, and in the case of Katon, exceedingly rare, but they do exist. I am one such example. Though I am capable of Hyouton and even some Suiton ninjutsu, my affinity is for Fuuton. As such, that is my main choice of fighting style."

There was another loud crash behind them, then Shiga went flying through the air, with Sasuke having a very pleased look on his face. Homare glanced backwards briefly, then faced Naruto once again. "And I think I've said enough." He got into a small stance. "Before we begin... what's your name, boy?"

Naruto offered a smile. "Uzumaki Naruto."

"I'll remember it. I am Homare, the Kaze Genko. Now... show me what you can do."

He let his smile grow bigger for an answer, which seemed to satisfy the other shinobi. When Shiga let out another frustrated cuss word, they moved.

Naruto began forming the seals for his Kaze Kiwa while Homare lowered his facial mask and bit his left thumb. In a flash, he moved his hand to his right wrist and drew a five-point star with his blood before quickly forming five seals of his own.

"Fuuton: Kaze Kiwa no Jutsu!"

"Fuuton: Kaze Sutaa no Jutsu!"

Chakra and wind suddenly begin swirling around Naruto's right arm. His hand was straight, fingers connected and forming a blade-like appearance. Bursts of wind came from the blood star, forming an outline of a five-point star from the air itself. Then it began spinning rapidly, faster and faster, giving off a whirling noise.

Holding his arm out with his Wind Star like a shield, he rushed Naruto and made a downward slice at the boy. Naruto jumped to the side, watching the wind technique slice through the ground like a knife through butter. Naruto rebounded on the ground and stabbed at the man, who intercepted with his jutsu. Naruto's Kaze Kiwa clashed with Homare's Kaze Sutaa, letting off a loud, annoying buzzing sound, and to Naruto's surprise, it was like he was stabbing a brick wall. Was the wind so condensed that it resembled a thick wall? How could he do such a thing like that!?

Homare didn't offer any explanation as he flicked Naruto's hand away and came in for another strike. Naruto quickly right-kicked the inside of Homare's wrist, forcing his arm out of the way. Changing direction in mid-air, he kicked at Homare's stomach area, who spun and came in with his Wind Star again. Naruto ducked the blow, then came up with his Kaze Kiwa as an uppercut, which Homare had to backflip to get away from. Making a mad dash, he went for the Yuki-Nin again, who merely blocked with his own jutsu.

"Been here, done th-" he cut off when the buzzing sound became louder. Looking down in shock, he saw Naruto's Kaze Kiwa moving further and further into his wind star/shield.

"Shit!" he yelled as he brought up a kick right at the two jutsu and splattered them with his shin guard. The sharpness of Naruto's Kaze Kiwa had beaten Homare's Kaze Sutaa's denseness. As one, both shinobi jumped back. The blond's hands flew as he shouted "Fuuton: Kaze Oshiyaru!"

The man's head jerked as the blunt rushing wind came after him. In response he ran through his own seals, then held up his arms up and spread them out. "Fuuton: Kaze Hei no Jutsu!"

Instantly, a large surge of wind emerged from his outstretched hands, with the wind going from his right hand down to his left foot and vice versa. Naruto's Wind Thrust slammed into the overlapping winds and broke apart. Not wasting any time, Homare created his next jutsu. "Fuuton: Kaze Ponchi!"

Whirling winds remarkably similar to Naruto's Tatewaru formed, but it was a lot more focused and concentrated as opposed to the Shieldbreaker's raging hurricane of long tendrils of wind that spun so wildly around his arm. It only went halfway up to his elbow, as opposed to past it.

Naruto grinned. Alright, two could play that game. With that, he snapped the Tatewaru alive. Homare took a look at Naruto's jutsu, then gave a nod. It was on.

The two ran at each at full speed, reared their arms back and clashed.

Immediately afterwards, there was a loud explosion as both went flying back at a furious speed and slammed into a tree. Naruto let off a groan as he looked and dropped his jaw. Homare's jutsu was still active, while Naruto's was gone.

"H-how?" Naruto choked out as he began walking forward. Damn... that hurt!

"Yours... had more power..." Homare said, though the strain in his voice was very clear. It must have been taking a serious effort to keep his Wind Punch maintained right now. "But you waste too much of it. Mine has a lot more focus, so while my power is smaller, I can make use of all of it, unlike yours. Like this." He made the tora seal with his left hand and the jutsu launched off his arm like a missile, with Naruto as the target.

Naruto let out a surprised squeal before bringing up his Kate Tate with just a few seconds to spare. The boy felt an immense sense of pressure against his shield as he poured more chakra into it. He couldn't let that thing hit him! He kept pumping more and more chakra into the shield until finally it shot off to the side. Deflected!

That's when he noticed Homare in the air above him as he shot down another Razor Ball at the top of the Wind Shield. An image of his match with Neji where he pierced the Kaiten appeared in Naruto's mind.

AH CRAP!!!

Naruto shut off his Wind Shield as fast as he could, which was not easy due to how much power he had put into it, which must have been Homare's plan: shoot his Wind Punch and make Naruto put so much energy into maintaining it, he wouldn't be able to shut it off to escape when the Razor Ball came flying down, pierced the top of his shield, and slammed into his skull.

Hell no! At the last second, Naruto managed to shut it off, then jumped back to avoid the blow. Barely. He could feel the wind lightly brush his nose before slamming into the ground. As Homare came down, preparing another jutsu, he noticed Sasuke forming a series of seals at the exhausted Shiga, and how it ended in a tora hand seal.

"_No!!"_ Homare shouted at the top of his lungs at Sasuke, startling Naruto. The tension on his face was so thick, you could cut it with a kunai. "_You fool! __**DON'T!!!"**_

Either Sasuke didn't hear him, didn't realize he was being the one addressed, or simply didn't care. "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"

Shiga reacted like she was having a heart attack. It lasted for just an instant, though, as she gave a brief yell of anger with fury in her eyes. That wasn't the worst of it. Naruto could feel the killing intent from her. Her chakra levels didn't spike at all, but it still felt like there was a twenty-pound weight on his chest. She sprinted across the ground in a heartbeat, at a speed that should have been impossible with the state she was in. She went right through the fireballs, glancing them off as if they were nothing more than misquotes. Her new burst of speed clearly caught Sasuke off guard because she slammed her fist into his face. Sasuke went skidding across the snow a good thirty feet before hitting a tree head first.

"When she was five..." Naruto jerked his head to see Homare standing there, fear etched on his face. "There was a terrible fire at her home. Killed her parents and newborn baby brother. She was the only survivor. She still has terrible burn scars from it. She claimed there was a culprit that started the fire, but we never found any evidence of one. She was never the same again: whenever she sees a fire technique..."

"She loses it?" Naruto supplied, still shocked by what he had just witnessed. It was hard to believe that someone other than Lee could surprise Sasuke in a test of speed.

"I wish. She goes berserk. Acts more like an animal than a human. She doesn't even recognize friend from foe. Has no sense of self-control. She'll keep going and going and going until she overextends herself entirely and kills herself. Only way to stop her is to knock her out before she comes to that point." He gritted his teeth. "We'll have to play and compare notes some other time, Naruto-kun. I have a teammate I have to stop."

With that, he took off as fast as he could towards while her back was turned. He began forming seals as he moved to strike.

He never got the chance to finish because Shiga abruptly spun around and grasped his neck. Homare struggled in her grasp as she held him above the ground, whirled around and slammed her teammate _through_ a nearby tree. Homare continued soaring through the air and landed a thump on the ground. He didn't get up.

_Shit,_ Naruto swore as he quickly created four Kage Bunshins and the five of them rushed her. The clones all lined up to take her assault. She plowed through the first two, grabbing the next two and slamming them to the ground into a handspring, coming for the real Naruto, who was more than ready with a spiraling chakra sphere in his right hand.

"RASENGAN!!!"

He slammed it into her stomach, sending her flying through the air as she slammed into a tree. That should knock her out cold for a couple of hours. Naruto breathed out as he wiped his forehead. Two fights in less than an hour. A good warm-up, if he did say so himself. Looking around, he hoped that Homare guy was still alive. Enemy or not, he liked him. He shook his head at how a village could let someone like Shiga remain a shinobi with that sort of problem, or at least not attempt to cure her of it. He moved towards Sasuke when he felt a tree branch brush aside his face, a small cut forming along the side of his cheek. The branch kept flying until it embedded itself into a tree.

_No way!_ Not willing to believe it, he looked in the direction of the Snow kunoichi. She was a wreck: running on all fours, limping, a nasty-looking wound, breathing hard, and her right arm looked like it had been dislocated. How she could move in that condition – much less at that speed – made absolutely no sense! Was it possible she could open the gates when she was in berserker mode!?

He didn't have time to do anything as her fist slammed into his jawline. Next, she spun around and slammed her elbow into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. He fell to his knees as her next punch came, only for it to slump as blood poured out of her mouth.

Naruto blinked with his eye as he saw Shiga stand there for a moment before she fell to the ground, like a silent butterfly that lost a wing. A kunai was buried in the base of her neck.

And Sasuke was standing there. With blood on his right hand where the kunai had been a split second earlier.

"You... alright?" Sasuke asked slowly, testing the words in his mouth.

The other boy merely nodded, as he slowly came to his feet, regaining his breath. He gave a quick glance to the body on the ground. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he asked quietly.

"There was no other choice," the Uchiha answered immediately. Naruto couldn't tell if that was forced, or if it natural. Sasuke's face was just as impassive as that mask he himself had worn and shown so often. Whatever he felt about taking the life, he wasn't about to show it.

"Holy..."

Both boys looked to see Homare staggering to get up himself. His eyes were wide and his mouth was trying to form words, but nothing came out at first. "I don't believe..." he said finally, looking at the woman's corpse. "Impossible... in that state..." He took one last look at the two genin, then bolted. Neither boy tried to stop him.

They started walking when the realized something. Sakura still hadn't shown up. With a glance between the two, Sasuke tapped his radio. "Sakura. Come in."

Nothing.

A little more frantic in his actions, Sasuke tapped it again. "Sakura. _Come in_!"

Still nothing.

Something happened. From all their encounters... Snow teams operated in three man teams at least. They had faced two Snow Ninja here... had Sakura encountered the third member? Was she in the middle of the fight? Or possibly...

"We better find her," Sasuke said as the two took off running.

"Oi! Aren't you _forgetting _someone here!?"

They stopped and looked at the source: the Naruto Kage Bunshins with Koyuki, who was currently laying in the snow, still paralyzed. Oops... how could they have forgotten about her?

"I won't tell anyone if you won't," Naruto whispered.

"Agreed," Sasuke said, as he crossed his arms. "Alright, who wants to get her back to the others?"

"I will," Naruto said instantly. After Sasuke gave him a weird look, he added "I found her, so it only makes sense for you to go and help Sakura. Besides, I wouldn't want you to miss the chance to play the role of Knight in Shining Armor and rescue your princess."

Normally, Sasuke would have smacked him for that, but instead he offered his own retort. "Like you haven't envisioned rescuing Hinata from her clan and eloping overnight."

"_I haven't_!" Naruto shouted, his face growing slightly red at the thought. Perhaps the blond had had some thoughts along those lines after all...

"Whatever," Sasuke waved him off as he started walking. "I'm going..." he stopped when he realized something... if he did have to 'rescue' Sakura, wouldn't that just tick her off all over again for thinking she couldn't hold her own against an opponent? Looking back, he said. "What happens if she bites my head off for 'rescuing' her?"

"Yeah... well... _sucks _to be you, then."

This time, Sasuke did smack him.

* * *

**9:23 am**

_I hate him... I really do,_ Sasuke thought to himself as he jumped from tree branch to tree branch. His head still ached and the side of his face was still tender. And while those sure as hell annoyed him, that wasn't the main thing on his mind.

He had taken a life. Yet, the part that bothered him the most was not the fact that he had done so, but _how _he had done it. He had zipped across and struck his kunai into the Yuki-nin's neck. Why? Why hadn't he just done something much simpler and efficient like throwing the damn thing? That would have been quicker to do, instead of running and delivering the fatal strike personally. He snorted at himself. He didn't think again... he just acted. Exactly like the time with Sakura and the freak's Raiton attack, he merely charged in without a moment's hesitation.

Did that mean what he thought it meant? That he did value Naruto as a real friend? So much so that he would throw his life away for him? He certainly felt the blood rushing to his head when that berserker female went to town on him. So much that he barely registered the fact of what he would do next.

What did that mean exactly? What did that tell him about himself when he would kill an enemy with little forethought over the sake of a friend who was having the living daylights beaten out of him? The justification that he was 'saving a friend' didn't really seem to fit. Something like overreacting seemed like a truer answer, yet that also didn't seem to be what he was looking for.

Was he simply losing his sense of self when it came to his two teammates? Was that a good thing? Shaking his head in irritation, he rubbed the side of his face to try and reduce the soreness there, only to remember what else that action meant as of late.

Growling in his throat, he wondered what was up with Sakura. Why hadn't she answered? The most likely answer would be that her radio had been destroyed, like Naruto's. If she was in the middle of a fight, then why didn't he feel any chakra signatures, or see any signs of battle?

... had she lost?

Sasuke felt his skin go cold as his heart stopped momentarily. If she had lost... just what would a Snow Ninja do with her? Death seemed like the most expected answer. Though, they also might take her captive for interrogation, just like they had done. If that happened... a person like Doto would have no second thoughts of brutal torture... or even allowing some of the Yuki-Nin to have their way with her?

An image of the girl nude appeared in his mind.

The boy let out a surprised yell as he tripped on the next branch and fell flat on the snow below.

Where the hell did that thought come from!?!? He was worrying over what sick things a bastard like Doto could possibly do and _that image_ of all things popped its ugly head!? Sasuke nearly tore out his hair in aggravation. What was happening to him!? Why did all these... naughty... images keep coming up!? Why did he go so far for Naruto and Sakura!? WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HIM!?!

"Konoha has corrupted me," Sasuke muttered into the snow. That was the only explanation! "I should have gone to Orochimaru! His type of corruption... hell... _any other type_... is better than what's happening to me now!!"

"What's happening to you now?"

His head jerked upwards to see Sakura looking down at him. Her arms were crossed, giving her the distinct impression of a mother looming over her troublemaker son.

Instead of answering the question, he offered one of his own. "Happening to me?" he repeated as he quickly got up, trying to push all his thoughts out his mind before his mouth started running off again. "What happened to _you_?! Why didn't you come when we contacted you over the radio!?"

"What are you talking about?" Sakura asked, half-annoyed. That butt-kicking fear he had seemed very real right now. "I couldn't get a hold of you or Naruto. I thought you had been attacked."

"We were att..." he trailed off as he noticed something. "Wait a second." Ignoring her protests about his hand invading her personal space, he yanked her radio from her, held up for her to clearly see and flipped a switch. A little red light lit up. Sakura's face fell in record time as her face went light red.

"You forgot to turn it on," Sasuke said in a low, but firm voice. "And we were attacked, in proximity of Koyuki herself." Nothing more seemed necessary to say.

In some shinobi villages, such a mistake would have led to harsh consequences. After all, it was often simple mistakes that could lead to failure of the mission, if not outright death for the team in question. The shinobi lifestyle was not one that offered a lot of second chances, or unexpected relief. In a place like Konoha, something like that would either earn a small deduction from pay, or was left up to the commander of the mission. Typically something like an extra watch duty, or janitorial duty for a few days. And Sakura knew this just as well as Sasuke did. He himself was surprised at how he was acting towards her, but for once, he was on the offensive and she was on the defensive... and he intended to take advantage of that.

"Um... can we keep this a secret?" the pink-haired girl asked hopefully.

Handing her radio back to her, he merely said "Maybe... in exchange for something."

She gave a small gulp. Maybe cleaning toilets for a few days would be preferable after all...

**

* * *

**

**9:28 am**

The Snow Wind user was running – more like limping through the forest – trying to find the third member of Gamma Team. He and Shiga had seen Koyuki with just one bodyguard and felt it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. As such, they had not bothered to alter the third member of the group, let alone Alpha Team that was supposed to be around these parts.

There wasn't much about these three Genin from the intelligence division. They were relatively new Genin, not even a year out of the Academy. They were assigned to legendary Leaf Jounin Hatake Kakashi. On the genin themselves, all they knew was that the last of the Uchiha was among them, as well as the dead-last of the Academy and a girl. The genin he had fought was clearly a male, so this person was the _dead-last_ of the Academy!? Homare had been going to max, taking full advantage of his skills, mind and his equipment while Naruto fought him evenly with just Fuuton ninjutsu. If the dead-last of Konoha was that skilled, then what was the Uchiha boy like!? Well... until Shiga went berserk, he had been playing her like a cat would play with a mouse. That must not have been the clear extent of his skills. What could this unknown kuniochi do?

He shook his head at the possibilities. The thought of three Genin entering the Snow Country by themselves had been laughable at first. Yet he was the one that was running. They had to regroup, gather Alpha Team and maybe another team or two, and fight together. There was honor in that as well. Where was Enrai Taigi?

He tapped his radio again, trying to contact both him and Alpha Team. Still nothing. What was wrong? Was there a mishap with Alpha Team's equipment?

"There you are," he heard a voice behind him. Looking behind him, he saw Taigi standing in a tree. The man was dressed in the same attire that most Yukigakure chunin class shinobi wore, with the thick clothes, Chakra Pack, and other standard accessories. Though there were two noticeable differences between Taigi and others.

One was that he was missing the lower half of his left ear.

The second was that he wore Doto's personal insignia on his chest.

"Where have you been!?" Homare demanded.

"Was out looking for the Princess, like we're supposed to. That was the plan, remember? Spread out individually and look. No luck on my end, and the radios seem to be malfunctioning."

"Shiga has..."

Taigi held up a hand. "Alpha Team was defeated."

The other man felt himself jerk. The team had been defeated? He shouldn't have been surprised, but he was. "Princess Koyuki's bodyguards?"

The Loyalist nodded. "I just freed them a moment ago and heard what happened. Each of them were soundly defeated. They are stronger than we were lead to believe. Maybe it's really not so hard to believe they could go head-to-head with the San Eihei."

_You have no idea,_ Homare thought to himself. "Shiga's dead."

As he anticipated, he got Taigi's attention. Shiga had been his lover. "What? How!?"

"We..." He had not been looking forward to this part, but honor required him to answer truthfully. "Found... the Princess and one of her guards. Alone. We... decided we couldn't let such an opportunity pass. We attacked... another one showed up... they were... _are... _strong... Shiga went into one of her berserker rages... they killed her."

He expected Taigi to yell or even attack him. Loss of one's precious person would do that. Instead, Taigi merely formed a tight fist and punched a nearby tree, howling in anger and hurt.

"I'm sorry," Homare said quietly. He wanted to kick himself. Sorry wasn't nearly enough, especially when it was his fault for getting her and him into that fight in the first place.

Taigi was silent as he leaned on the tree. He just stood there, not making any move. For all Homare knew, he could have been crying, or planning Homare's very painful death.

Finally, Taigi leaned up and looked directly at him. "Who. Did it?"

"... the Uchiha. Kunai to the neck." At least it was quick, but he didn't think saying that help matters any.

Taigi went back to punching the tree. This changed everything for him! He would have to adjust his plans.

The death of the Uchiha now took priority over _everything _else!

* * *

**Same time**

"Why is it always you that comes to find me?"

Naruto was carrying Koyuki on his back. That drug was slowly wearing off, but she still hadn't regained the use of her motor skills. As a result, Naruto was forced to carry her on his back. Currently, they were back in the mountain tunnel. Those were the first words she had said since they started going back to Makino bastard and the others.

"Because you made the mistake of pissing me off," Naruto responded as he walked. Sheesh, she was heavier than she looked. "And I just have this incredible urge to show people like you just how wrong they are. You can run as many times as you like, as far as you like, but I'll find you, catch you over and over again until I get the damn message in your skull."

Koyuki didn't reply to that right away. "You can drag me back if you like... but all I'm gonna do is act for the camera. And that's _it_, you _got _me?"

"Whatever."

"... what is it between you and this girl, Hinata?"

Naruto wanted to punch something. Why was it that everyone kept bringing her up?! She wasn't even here, damn it! Not that Naruto would have minded if she did come along; it would have been fun to go on a mission with her, but what was it about her that everyone wanted to know so badly!? "What's it to you?"

"It's the only thing that makes you vulnerable."

Naruto stopped at that. "Vulnerable?"

"Tell me you aren't that dense," Koyuki replied. Before he could utter a response, she continued. "Whenever she's mentioned, you immediately go on the defensive. You fluster up easily, get all embarrassed and become much easier to provoke. Especially when she's called your girlfriend."

Oh... he so did not like where this was going. "And you care why?"

"Because I would like to hear it from your own mouth about your relationship with her."

He cringed at the word 'relationship'. "She's my best friend. Is that a crime? Not every boy/girl relationship has to be something beyond friendship, you know?!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It's not! It's just that I'm so sick and tired of everyone suggesting that it is!"

"I bet she would be heartbroken if she heard you say that."

As she predicted, he did a complete 180. "That's not what I meant! It's just..." he stopped himself and shook his head furiously. "Why the hell I am talking to you about this! It's none of your damn business anyway! Whether we're just friends or something more is between me and her completely! Not you! Not damn Makino! Or Sasuke-teme, or anyone else! You don't hear me asking you about your damn love life, so don't pry into mine!"

Easy to provoke, indeed. Koyuki: five. Naruto: zero.

Payback would be lot easier now.

A loud humming sound went ringing in his ears. Looking around for the source of it, Koyuki looked at him questioningly. "What is it?"

"Don't you hear that?" he asked, as the humming sounds came louder this time. The actress started looking herself. "Now I do..."

There was a sizzling sound heard next, coming from below. Two pairs of metal railings began to emerge as far as the eye could see in both directions. What was going on?

**

* * *

**

Makino

The famous film director was surveying the surrounding land. Flat mostly, with a few cliffs off to the right and a nice looking lake on the left that was unfrozen if anyone could believe it. The forest picked ahead of them a little ways, but Makino felt that this area would be perfect! After all, since they had missed that last spectacular fight scene, there was just one thing to do about it.

Make up something completely new for it. And this would be the spot they would do it in! The landscape was just perfect! Perhaps this was where Mao could come, defeated and running from the bigger threat to the world of...

He lost his trail of thought when a small humming noise entered his ears. Looking around in surprise, he saw that the snow was melting at an unnatural rate, revealing a set of metal tracks. A railroad?

"What is it?" Kaijo asked.

Sandayuu knelt down and examined the tracks. There was a faint blue glow within it. "It's chakra!" he exclaimed. "There's chakra running through the rails... melting the ice!"

Makino looked at the man, pleasantly surprised. And here he thought Sandayuu had just been a simple aid in the service of the late Daimyo, yet he easily recognized chakra. He truly had many hidden talents. Excellent! Makino liked those types of people the best!

Yukie's assistant's face darkened. "It must be... _him_!" He let out a small snarl before whispering to one of the stunt men. The man nodded as he began running and talking to others, while Sandayuu bolted to one of the vehicles. "Everyone hurry! You must get out of here! You can't let them find you!"

"Sandayuu?" Ken asked.

"Where are you going?" Michy inquired as Sandayuu grabbed a small bag and began running up the small hills, quickly followed by a small group of men.

Makino considered the possibilities in his head for a moment. "Everyone, get the cameras ready and hide! Use the sheets to blend in with the snow! We've got a big scene coming and we want to catch it all, don't we?!"

"Yes, Director!"

**

* * *

**

Naruto

A loud engine was heard in the distance. It was unlike anything Naruto had heard before. Then it came again, and this time he saw a light emerging at the end of the tunnel. No way in hell was he dying and going to the afterlife!

"It's a train..." Koyuki said, dread coming into her voice.

"It's a what now?"

The engine sound came, louder than ever before as that light came around the corner, revealing the large and fast locomotive engine that pulled the other cars of the rest of the train. Oh... so _that's_ what a train... was...

OH SHIT!!!

With a shout to Koyuki to hang on, he turned around and started running just as fast as his legs could move. That damned train sounded again, as if mocking him and saying 'you can't escape!' Naruto could have sworn it picked up speed as well in response to that thought.

"It's gaining on us!" Koyuki shouted as the lights grew brighter and brighter.

"I know! _I KNOW!!"_

"We'll never make it!"

"NO ONE ASKED YOU!!!"

The train roared again as it came even closer. Koyuki paled to see it was only a few meters behind them and gaining fast! The train began closing the distance. Five meters... four... three... two... the tip of it was close... so close. "There's no way you can do this!!"

"_SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!!!"_

At that, the very front part of the tip touched Koyuki's back. Closing her eyes and bracing herself what she knew for certain was about to come, she shouted "This is totally pointless! We're finished!"

Finished... that word rang in Naruto's mind for a split second. Echoing over and over. Finished. Dead. Killed. Lost. Deceased. Ran over. Whatever way you wanted to phrase it, it all resulted in the same thing.

AND THERE WAS NO WAY IN THE SEVEN HELLS HE WAS DYING YET!!!!

"_I told you to _SHUT! UP!" Naruto yelled as images in his life began appearing. The Academy. The first Bell test with Kakashi. The Wave Mission. The Chunin Exams. All the hours on the creation of his jutsu. The Invasion. Traveling with Ero-sannin. The kiss with Hinata.

"THIS AIN'T OVER!!"

Faces began appearing next. Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji and Asuma of Team 10; Neji, Lee, Tenten and Gai of Team Gai, Kiba, Akamaru, Shino, and Kurenai of Team 8. Ebisu and Konohamaru. Even Gaara's face along with Haku's.

"THERE'S NO WAY I'M DYING..."

The Third Hokage. Jiraiya. Tsunade. Kakashi. Sasuke. Sakura.

"…OR EVER GIVING UP..."

Hinata.

"...EVEN IF YOU'RE READY TO CALL IT QUITS, I'M NOT _EVER GIVING. __**UP**__!!!"  
_

To Koyuki's complete surprise... no... _astonishment..._ the distance between the train and themselves began to widen. One meter. Two. Five. Ten!?

"C'MON!C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,_**C'MON**_!!!

It was like Naruto was ranting a chant for extra speed. Koyuki found herself having to grip Naruto's shoulders for life itself, otherwise she would have been flung off by the sheer force he was going at! He was moving at a speed that Gai and Lee would be hard pressed to achieve! The train itself sounded off again and began speeding up, like it was being baited by Naruto and was determined not to lose. Yet even as the actress saw the train pick up speed again, the distance between them remain constant. Still... there was no way he could possibly keep this up... she jerked out of her train of thought as her jaw dropped in pure surprise. The exit was right in front of them!

Again, the train seemed to give an extra burst of speed in an attempt to catch up and crush them, but it was in vain. Naruto reached the exit into the much-welcomed sunlight and fresh air. With a mighty leap, he jumped to the side of the tracks. The two of them hit the ground hard and rolled for a few feet as the train shot out behind him, missing them by only a few seconds.

"Ha!... S... see?... Can't... be... done... my ass..." Naruto said on the snow, taking big breaths of precious, sweet air while his heart threatened to explode, and a bright smile formed on his face.

Koyuki just stared at the boy. Truly, there was more to Uzumaki Naruto than met the eye. He had just done the impossible, even when every other person she knew would have given up. She had given up and waited for death. Everyone but Naruto, she amended. Just what kind of person had a drive so fierce he wouldn't give up for anything, even when it was virtually certain that success was impossible?

She wondered what kind of girl this Hinata was to have this boy's heart in her hands. There was no doubt in her mind about that. Just the lack of 'why' the boy was so against it.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw some kind of red explosion in the sky. Looking in that direction, she saw that the train had come a complete stop close to them, only about twenty meters away. Then a figure emerged on top of the engine itself and her heart froze in fear.

"It's been a long time, Koyuki."

Naruto looked upward from his position on the ground as he saw Koyuki mutter something under her breath. Looking further, he saw that the train had stopped close to where they were and saw a tall man with a cloak speaking in a megaphone. "It's been ten years. Come now, don't be shy. Let's have a look at that face."

The blond felt anger in the casualness of this guy's voice. Hopping to his feet, he deliberately walked in front of Koyuki so he couldn't see. Holding up his middle finger, he yelled "Why don't you come down here yourself, you asshole!"

"Careful who you talk to, U..." the man narrowed his eyes. "Wait... you're not the Uchiha. Who the hell are you?"

It was like one of those anvils seen on cartoons suddenly dropped on Naruto's head. He couldn't freakin' believe this! Even here in the damned Snow Country, it was always Sasuke, Sasuke, _Sasuke_! What was so great about him anyway!? Why couldn't _he_ get some recognition here?! What did it take for people to know him!? And what was worse... this BASTARD... had nearly mistaken him for Sasuke!! How the hell someone could do that was like a boy who didn't notice a girl's feelings that were blindingly obvious to everyone else!

This guy had just crossed the line!

"Listen here, you ass-kissing, butt-smelling, bedwetting, motherfucker, son of a bitch…" Naruto ranted off, with Koyuki looking at him like he was insane, while the man grew steadily annoyed at the entourage of insults. "…piece of dog shit, eternity-damned, shitload of fuck, ass-smasher bastard! I don't have time to waste with you! Call out Doto so I can give him the beatdown he's had coming for the last decade!"

"Um... Naruto..."

"What?"

"That _is _Doto-ojiki."

"...then let me add traitorous ass, fucking cocktease, power-hungry, downright bitching liar!"

By this time, Doto's face was completely red with fury and nearly ready to blow his top. How dare the brat not recognize him! "I'm going to _enjoy_ torturing you to death, _brat!_ Very. SLOWLY!"

"DOTO!!"

As one, Doto, Naruto, and Koyuki all looked to see Sandayuu, now dressed in samurai armor and holding a katana, along with the other fifty warriors he gathered and placed within the movie crew. Each of them was armed as well with spears and swords.

Naruto had to clench his hands to keep himself under control. Was it everyone's goal to drive him to the breaking point today!? First Koyuki, then Doto and now Sandayuu! After the man _promised _not to make a move on his own like this!

"There you have it, men!" Sandayuu cried on. "Our beloved Princess Koyuki-sama is here to watch us! With _her_ on our side, victory is ours!" There was a loud cheer from the gathered men as the man drew his sword and pointed it directly at the man. "Hear me, Doto! We've waited a long time for this day of reckoning to come! Asama Sandayuu and fifty loyal warriors stand before you to avenge our fallen leader, Lord Sousetsu-sama! For justice! For our lord! For the Princess! For our country, _charge_!"

With another rallying yell of approval, the samurai ran down the sloped hills towards the train. Doto merely looked on in amusement. "I thought you had destroyed the last of the insurgents."

A Yuki-nin aid knelt. "My apologies. We'll get rid of them for you."

"No," Doto said, seemingly oblivious to the charging warriors after his head. "With men such as these, there is little they can understand other than total annihilation."

At that, hatches all over the seven-car train began opening up, each one revealing a long series of metal holes. Having a very bad feeling about this, Naruto yelled for the samurai to stop and run.

They didn't listen.

That's when a literal wall of kunai flew out from the holes, now realized to be launchers, towards the samurai en masse. To say that this slaughtered these men would be an understatement.

It _butchered _them. Turned them into pincushions, so much they resembled mincemeat in every sense of the word. These people, who were once called men, fell in clumps of eight or more as the kunai filled their bodies. And even then, the kunai launchers didn't stop. Even as fewer than ten men were still barely standing, they continued to fire countless rounds of kunai into them. The last of them dropped on the snow alongside their comrades. By now, only Sandayuu himself was still standing, if you could still call it that. He had many kunai still sticking in him, with blood flowing from each one. He was using his sword as a brace to help him stand, but not even that was helping much.

And the sickest thing of all in this was Doto's laughter. Fifty men had just been butchered and he laughed. It sounded a bit like a bat out of hell mixed with a rabid coyote. Calling it evil did not seem enough... yet no other word came close enough to be able to describe this.

"Asama Sandayuu!" Doto cried as he calmed himself down from the laughing fit. "I applaud your resilience for being the last one standing! Really, I do! For that, I will bestow you a special honor: to be named the last rebel and give you a special standing in the Hell Asylum!" With that, he motioned, and another round of kunai flew forward at the man. Naruto made the seals for the Kaze Oshiyaru, but that turned out to be unnecessary. A windmill shuriken came flying out right in front of Sandayuu, blocking the barrage of kunai. Naruto looked to see Sasuke jumping from an ice mound as he threw a kunai with an exploding tag at the train. But because he gave himself away by saving Sandayuu, no less than four kunai flew from the train and intercepted it, making it crash into the snow and explode harmlessly.

Sakura herself was on one of the hilltops as she placed a series of tags, then activated them. A small avalanche began gushing towards the train.

"Is that the best you can do?" Doto asked, sounding bored. He snapped his fingers and two Yuki-nin jumped out from the train, seals forming as the slammed their hands on the ground.

"Hyouton: Keppyou Abaranshu no Jutsu!"

Ice surged from the ground in waves as it rushed towards the growing avalanche. The ice began engrossing the snow, and as more snow came, the two Snow Ninja continued producing more ice to envelop it. After a few minutes of touch and go, Sakura's makeshift avalanche was completely frozen.

Sasuke and Sakura landed right by Naruto. "Figures it wouldn't be that easy," Sasuke commented, annoyed.

"How many more ninja do you think are in there?" Sakura asked.

"More than enough to deal with you," Doto said as he snapped his figures again. Several rushing forms jumped out of the train and came on top of it on either side of him. Twenty of them.

"Well... that's inconvenient," said Naruto as he looked over the men. All standard Chunin Yuki-Nin. No Jounins among them, least of all the ones he sought after all.

"Surrender, Koyuki," said Doto. "I have far more shinobi than you do. If you do, I'll let the other two have a less painful death than the blond rodent."

"Princess!" All heads looked to see Sandayuu crawling on the ground, using one hand to move the rest of his body. "You... must not... surrender..." He coughed up blood as he struggled to speak. Sakura made a move to help him, but Sasuke held her back. They couldn't afford to go with Doto watching. "Naruto-kun... Sakura-chan... and Sasuke-kun... will support you! You must never..."

"Never give up?" Koyuki supplied for him. "Look at what not giving up cost you!"

Sandayuu looked down. "... please... forgive me... I never should have gotten you... involved in this..."

One of the snow ninja moved, but Doto held up his hand. Koyuki was arguing against what Sandayuu was saying after all. What better way to destroy the man than to see the one he had placed his hopes in rejecting them on his deathbed?

"It's just... every single one of us here... was able to keep believing... in spite of everything, because... we knew... you were alive..." He coughed as he fell on the ground in a heap, no longer able to support himself with his arm. Looking up, he continued speaking. "When you were little... and even now... you have always been... just as I, your loyal... Sandayuu... so you too must believe in yourself! You have always been... our purest... Princess... please don't..."

There was another explosion up on the hills and another small avalanche started coming down right towards the dead and dying Samurai. The genin looked in horror, while Doto looked in pleasure. Even the land itself was sick of this man's pathetic whining!

Sandayuu didn't seem to care. "Don't... waste your tears... on me... Princ..." he wasn't able to finish the word as the snow covered him completely, burying him alive if he wasn't already dead. What a horrible way to go.

Doto and the three Leaf Genin all looked at Koyuki, wondering what her response would be to the snow covered man.

"I can't cry, Sandayuu. You have my tear drops," said Koyuki, her face impassive.

THAT was her freakin' answer?!?!

Doto roared in laughter and approval. "Come now, Koyuki. End this. Maybe I'll be merciful and allow your three tagalongs a quick death right here."

She moved to answer, when all three of them put their arms up. "Don't even think about it," Naruto said. "Or I'll slap you silly."

"Now's not the time to play the fool," Koyuki said as she looked at the line of Yuki-Nin. "Why don't we run? You three can't take on twenty of them by yourselves. There's no point in fighting a losing battle."

"While I would agree with you," Sasuke said. "That's not an option."

"... why not?"

"Because..." Sakura said in a dead voice as she pointed to the right and left. Slowly, Koyuki looked.

More Yuki-Nin appeared. They came from across the lake on the left and from the hills on the right, totting over the snow-covered bodies of Sandayuu and his warriors, all lining up on either side of the four people. Now she knew what that red explosion was in the sky: it was a flare, alerting the Snow teams all around that they had found their quarry. The Princess did a quick mental count: five teams on each side. 15 Snow Shinobi each. And with the ones on top of the train...

Fifty in all.

She paled. This wouldn't be a fight. Not 50 against 3. This would be a slaughter. "We have to run!"

"We _can't_ run," Naruto repeated, very annoyed with her. "There's too many. We can't outrun them all. Not with you, and we won't abandon you. Besides... it's only fifty. It's not _that _many. I'll handle them all myself."

Koyuki was beside herself. She looked at Sasuke. "Talk some sense into him! You can't fight them all! There's too many!"

"So what?" Sasuke asked. "When you fight Naruto, you're always outnumbered. I have plenty of experience in that." An excited grin appeared on his face. "You worry too much."

In desperation, she looked at Sakura hoping for some female sense to kick in and control her teammates like she always did. "Sakura... tell them they're being idiots!"

"That anything new?" Sakura asked, smiling.

"Be serious! You can't win this fight! Tell your teammates to surrender!"

"And just die without a fight?" Sakura countered, making Koyuki pause. "You heard your uncle, he doesn't intend for us to live. If it's a choice of submitting and execution, or fighting and falling on your feet, I'll take the second choice anytime." She cracked her knuckles. "Besides... I have some stress to work out... beating down these guys should help with that."

Koyuki couldn't find her voice for a minute. Finally… "You three... are... insane!"

Inside the train itself, about ten Yuki-nin were still inside to maintain the kunai launchers. Alpha Team was among them; none of them were interested in fighting these three again: Kiganai wasn't interested, Ikusa was just disgusted, and Kiou was going to watch this eagerly, even though he felt a little sick to his stomach about the earlier event.

_Damn you,_ Kiganai thought mentally. _I told you kids you have no chance of succeeding. Surrender. Or run. Don't fight, you fools! Doto already has an idea about your abilities from us! Do the smart thing already! Don't throw your lives away needlessly!_

On the hilltops, both Homare and Taigi looked down at the scene, having heard everything. "They'll lose," Homare said softly.

"I know," Taigi said simply.

Homare hesitated, then spoke. "You won't get your revenge this way. Why don't you go?"

"In that mess, they'll die within a few minutes," Taigi answered. "I won't be able to get my revenge that way. But, at the very least, I'll be able to see them suffer very slowly at the hands of our comrades. I intend to savor it as much as possible."

_I wouldn't be so sure_, Homare thought to himself. After all, Taigi hadn't fought against the Genin. He had no first-hand account on just how skilled they were. Sure, they were bound to lose in the end, but he was sure they would leave a damn good impression in the history books. How many could they take down before they fell? Ten? Maybe even twenty? Surely no more than that.

He turned his head down at the sight. There was no honor in a fight like this. It was far from fair, but there was nothing he could do. _I'm sorry we didn't get the chance to finish our match, Naruto-kun. I would have enjoyed your opinion on Fuuton ninjutsu. However this turns out, I'll be sure that you and your teammates' sacrifices are well honored. Die well._

Hidden by sheets and whatever materials they could find to blend in, Makino and the movie crew were on the other side of the lake, cameras out and ready. There was no way they were going to miss this scene!

"They have no chance," Kaijo said, barely above a whisper. He sounded ready to vomit. Probably because he had already done so.

"We all knew that from the beginning," Hidero whispered back. "It was suicide to continue coming. We should have turned back when we had the chance."

"Yet we all came anyway," Ken said. "What's that say about us?"

"Shouldn't we help?" Michy asked. He had some skills in fighting, he could help.

"We'd just get in the way," Makino said simply, gesturing at a small group of the crew. "Bring in the second camera on Doto's face."

The three actors and his assistant looked at the man in both disbelief and disgust. "How can you still think about movies at a time like this?" Ken demanded.

"How?" Makino asked. "Because whether we like it or not, this is going to happen. We certainly can't stop it. More importantly," he pointed at the shinobi across the lake. "They also knew what they were getting into. I made sure of it myself. Do you see them shivering, crying, or begging for their lives? That's a lot sterner stuff than most people I can mention that are three or even four times their age."

The other four men just looked at each other questioningly, not entirely sure if that little speech reassured them or not.

So Makino decided to drive the nail in. "Besides, why should I worry? I'm fully expecting them to _win._"

That resulted in the men visibly gasping at him. "What?" "You're nuts!" "More than usual!" "How can you possibly say such a thing!?" Then as one "It's not possible for them to win!"

"Says who?" Makino replied casually.

"There's fifty of them, dammit!"

"They can't win!"

"Like they couldn't win at the iceberg?" Makino challenged. "Or how they couldn't win against the shapeshifter intruder? Or how they couldn't handle the surprise attack?"

The four men were silent at that. Yes... those events had seemed impossible... but still... this was entirely different!

Wasn't it?

Makino smiled. "Mark my words. They will win. And leave a mark that will surpass that of the Sannin themselves!"

Doto looked at his assorted collection of shinobi. Some of them were no older than the Genin themselves, while some were old enough to be their grandparents. Some despised him, others admired him, though there weren't any of his Loyalists here. Some were armed. There was a vast collection of weapons: swords, spears, lances, battle-axes, chains, and others. Some were unarmed. Some were ninjutsu experts, some were taijutsu. A couple genjutsu users as well. All had the standard chakra equipment, though some had new, experimental types in addition. Doto was hoping that these three would last long enough for him to get an ample test of all their new toys. Looking at the three genin guarding his niece, he spoke. "Well... are you going to surrender, or do we start?"

They answered as one. "Bring it on!"

He smiled. "I was hoping you say that." He raised his arm, then threw it forward. All fifty Yuki-Nin moved forward.

It had begun!

**

* * *

**

**(Author's Note)**

And with that, the next chapter is done! How many of you expected something like this? I bet you were all expecting the train scene to be just the same as in canon, right? Not this time! I can't tell you how eager I've been to start this massive melee; I've had this planned for a LONG time. I'm quite excited that the time has finally come to work on it!

How long has it been since I had written out scenes from the movie? Chapter 8? Chapter 9? Whew... been a while. Hope no one minds, as I'm greatly enjoying expanding the movie beyond just what it showed us. Those who have watched the movie may have noticed I did change a few things othings – aside from fifty Yuki-Nin attacking – with my own little twists, namely the landscape of the area, and Sandayuu's death scene. I still hope that despite these changes, it managed to capture the spirit of this scene from the movie well. I think it did.

According to what sources I could find on the matter, Koyuki is in fact listed as 15 years old. I'd by lying if I said I wasn't surprised at this information (in all honesty, I had pegged her around 18, at least). But given how she looks in the flashbacks, she is clearly at toddler age, so 15 it was.

Though knowing this... it certainly puts what she does at the end of the movie with the next film she intended to star in... in a completely different light. I wonder just what movie laws and regulations are in the Naruto world. When you think of that... it makes all the stuff I've pulled on Team 7 not so bad.

Koyuki's past from age 5 to the present is honestly not something I had thought until recently myself. Just what did Kakashi do with the five-year-old when he saved her? Since he was he clearly shocked that she was Yukie in the movie business, he obviously had not kept tracked after the mission. So just what happened? I put in my own explanation

As you probably notice, Sasuke is getting more focus and development than either Naruto, or Sakura. This isn't an attempt of favoritism on my part (certainly not what has happened in canon), but in this case, I feel it's rather necessary, as opposed to just flinging Sasuke's power around in canon. The reason is that Sasuke needs to go from power driven fool, to someone who actually can be a friend, and with someone like him, it's not an easy process to do. A significant amount of time is needed to show that transition, along with all the hurdles the experiences.

Besides... it's rather fun to torment Sasuke like this.

In case any of you are curious as to why Hinata does keep getting mentioned in this story, there are a few reasons for it. I am a Naruto/Hinata fan myself, so while she isn't in the story, this is the closest I can have to actual moments for the two. Another is that it is rather fun to mess with Naruto about the subject of his "girlfriend" (why should Sasuke suffer alone? Heh heh). Third is because in the original version of this story, there was supposed to be a small Hyuuga plotline of my own, which would have included Hinata going to Snow with Team 7 (mostly by accident) and thus having a significant role in the story herself. However, I quickly discarded the idea because it was unnecessary, so alas, Hinata got her role cut.

As for questions as to whether Bakeru, or Kakashi or even the San Eihei will be appearing soon, no hints from me. You'll just have to keep on reading, though if you do read closely in this chapter, you might find a few hints about one of them.

And where we get to see Gamma Team, the other group Alpha Team tried to contact in the last chapter. Yet it seems they had problems of their own. Curious, wouldn't you say? And now Sasuke has taken his first life and has a guy out for revenge on all costs on him. A rather interesting turn of events, wouldn't you agree? You can all thank Tellemicus for this idea as I liked it greatly myself: how will Sasuke deal with someone who is after him for the sake of revenge?

I enjoyed creating and using Homare as we get to see an opposing fuuton user in battle. Wind vs. wind is something quite exciting and a possibility that popped up in my discussion with Tellemicus. Pity it wasn't as long as I wanted, but I felt it was adequate. I didn't have Homare, or any of Gamma Team appear in the ending melee because they would had been overshadowed too easily and I wanted them to be able to shine on their own. Featured a slightly different fuuton style than Narutos: where he uses wind's sharpness in a roundabout way, Homare using wind's brute force in a more strait on approach.

We also get a little more explanation on how and why Yukigakure can use Hyouton style ninjutsu, despite it being a bloodline to Haku's clan. In the movie, it does appear to be limited to using pre-existing ice and molding it into whatever jutsu you wish, so Tellemicus and I decided to take it a step further by allowing Yuki-Nin to create it out of scratch by mixing Suiton and Fuuton ninjutsu, though still in a way that is different from Haku's, so not to diminish the impact of him, or his moves.

And so the chapter ends with the Fifty Snow Ninja commencing their attack on Team 7. I think it's fair to mention that one big reason I'm doing this is to feature a lot more of the common, every day Yuki-nin. Where in the movie, we get like three glimpses of them. That's just sad. I firmly believe that even cannon fodder grunts like them deserve a change in the spotlight for their own 15 minutes of fame. With that said, I have every intention of featuring the entire melee, no matter how long it shall be (oh dear... just imagine the how long the technique list alone will be for that many. Do be kind enough to pray for my sanity). Speaking of the technique list, while I, Tellemicus, and a few others could probably create enough on our own, I think it would be rather interesting to see what you readers have to suggest. I have fifty ninja here that need moves: that means there is a lot of potential on the diversity of all the new jutsu yet to come.

So those of you that would like the chance to see one of their jutsu in the Legacy series, here's your chance! Sadly, I can't have Team 7 pull completely original moves for this, but I can do possible combinations with their current list of jutsu. So for these Snow Ninja themselves, go wild! I'm not placing any type of restrictions on what you can create here: send me Hyouton techniques, send me Fuuton ones. Raiton. Suiton. Doton. Katon. Send me non-elemental ninjutsu moves. Send me genjutsu moves; send me taijutsu strikes. Offer your own suggestions on what type of chakra equipment these Yuki-nin have. Hell... send me a bloodline or two if that's what you want. Whatever you want. I've got fifty ninja here, so the odds that you would see your jutsu used are rather high. Do keep in mind two things if any of you do send in techniques.

One: I reserve the right to modify any jutsu suggested to suit my story needs, if I so deem so (That's not something I'll do lightly, only if it's necessary).

Two: Credit will be given where credit is due. I'm a firm believer in this. Even if I do modify a jutsu, I will make certain that one who did create the jutsu will still be acknowledged as it's creator.

Because of the big fight and extensive technique list, the next chapter will undoubtedly take a long time to complete. More so because I have to get back to my other two works that I have neglected a bit to write this chapter. But that means you have all the more time to think of jutsu, so don't feel rushed about it. There will be a lot of time before the next chapter.

Genko – fist  
Homare – honour; honor;  
Shiga – heedless; uncaring  
Enrai – distant thunder  
Taigi – great cause; moral law; justice;

**Hyouton: Tatsu Juugan no Jutsu--**_Ice: Release: __Dragon Bullet//_Creates a dragon made out of ice to fly forward and attack the opponent. This jutsu is the counterpart to the Toramisairu, as it focuses on speed at the expense of power, making it more likely to hit than the Tiger Missile, but not as damaging. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Hyouton: Puraido no Raions**--_Ice Release:_ _Pride of Lions _(roughly)//Creates nine lions of ice around an opponent. Each lion is more powerful and faster than either the Toramisariu or the Tatsu Juugan. The lions can all be launched at the opponent either one at a time, all at once, or in various groups. Requires a significant degree in skill of Hyouton ninjutsu and chakra reserves because if you fail in creating just one of the lions properly, the entire pride will fall as a result. When coordinated correctly, the chances of hitting the opponent(s) is very high. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Fuuton: Kaze Rezaa Mari--**_Wind Release: __Wind Razor Ball_//A Fuuton ninjutsu that creates a small ball of wind, roughly the size of a softball. The winds are tightly pressed together within the sphere, making it quite dense and hard. In addition, the entire surface area is covered in razor sharp edges, adding a dangerous slicing factor to it. While a small technique that can be easily avoided, it is quick to create, allowing the user to use it multiple times in a short amount of time. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Fuuton: Kaze Sutaa no Jutsu--**_Wind Release: __Wind Star_//A Fuuton ninjutsu developed by Homare. First, he creates the star blood seal on the outside of his wrist. This seal acts as a foundation for the rest of the jutsu by producing a solidified wind line about a foot long from each of the five points into the shape of a five pointed star. By doing this, it effectively makes it a container, which Homare can fill by producing more wind into it. The more wind he is able to put into it, the more dense and hard the Wind Star can become. But that means the five wind lines must be able to handle and contain the pressure from these extra winds, otherwise the jutsu will simply explode and all that rushing wind will spill out and be wasted. As such, the two aspects of this jutsu are tightly intertwined and must be handled expertly. Finally, Homare can have the winds propel the five-line container at a fast speed, allowing the edges of the five pointed star to have a slicing effect. This makes the Wind Star a combination of wearing a buzzsaw and a shield. Careless usage can be result in Homare slicing himself with this jutsu. (Low A-Class Ninjutsu) (Homare)

**Fuuton: Kaze Hei no Jutsu**--_Wind Release:_ _Wind Wall_//After doing the necessary seals, the user will hold out their arms and spread their legs, making them resemble an X in stance. A constant stream of thick wind will burst out of their hands down to the opposite foot (wind from the left hand will go to the right foot; wind from the right hand will go to the left foot). The two winds will overlap each other, therefore making this defense two thick layers of walls to get through. This can be maintained for as long as the shinobi wishes, provided they maintain the constant stream of winds. While a formidable frontal defense, it does leave the user vulnerable from other directions of attack, mostly notably the back. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Fuuton: Kaze Ponchi no Jutsu**--_Wind Release:_ _Wind Punch_//A jutsu similar to Naruto's Shieldbreaker. Homare's forms whirling winds around the first portion of his arm (halfway up to his elbow) that looks like a makeshift tornado. The Wind Punch draws in excess air around you, then shoots it back outward, dramatically increasing Homare's punching power (all the more so with the inclusion the Strength Gauntlets). All that power in one area puts sizable amount of strain on Homare's arm: the longer it's in use, the worse it will become. In addition, Homare can use the tora seal to make the ending part of the Wind Punch expand slightly, resulting in all that excess air flowing outward and making a makeshift missile as a result. This reduces its power, but not by much. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Homare)

**Hyouton: Keppyou Abaranshu no Jutsu**--_Ice Release:_ _Freezing Avalanche_//A ninjutsu technique that is designed to deal with overwhelming floods, avalanches and similar natural disasters. While not entirely useful for combat, it does have its uses in battle; such as freezing a rushing surge of a water jutsu. The user will start freezing the area immediately in front of him, then slowly expand in the direction desired, not unlike Fubuki's Hyourou no Jutsu. Once the ice is created, they use that as a jumping off point for more ice to be created, slightly levitating the stress on the user. However, the further the ice travels from you, the harder it is to maintain and control, as such, only skilled users of Hyouton are capable of this move.(High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

_And so the time has come: Team 7 has finally found and confronted Doto. But an obstacle stands in the way of the Leaf Shinobi from bringing the man down. Fifty to be exact. What will happen? Will Team 7 fall here? Or will they manage to prevail, despite the odds? Be sure to find out in the next chapter, one of the few I have named in advance: _The Konoha no Gogyou!

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	17. The Konoha no Gogyou

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 17: The Konoha no Gogyou!_

**(Author's Note) **First off, I want to thank EVERYONE that suggested a jutsu for this chapter! It was much appreciated and exciting to see all the ideas buzzing around out there. I hope that this chapter meets all your expectations. And to be able to post it today on my own birthday is an added bonus.

Enjoy!

**9:45 am**

Fifty Snow ninja of various sizes, ages and builds leaped from their positions from either the top of the train or from the snow banks towards the three Leaf genin and the runaway Snow Princess behind them, who had lost the strength in her legs.

With a quick gesture, Naruto created a small horde of clones as he, Sakura and Sasuke all took off running directly into the center of the incoming swarm of men and women. Sakura was in the middle and slightly ahead of the two boys as she reached her hand backwards and clasped Naruto's arm. Grabbing firmly, the leaf kunoichi took a firm step forward as she whipped her arm around and launched the blond boy directly into the path of enemy nins. Several shinobi reacted by readying weapons or preparing a joust of their own.

But Naruto beat them all to it.

"_**Raiden no Jutsu!"**_

Right in the mist of fifty enemies, he unleashed a powerful burst of light right into the eyes of all those around him, followed quickly by a loud crash of thunder. Many of the Snow Shinobi screamed as they covered their eyes in a vain attempt to lessen the impact. Sasuke snapped on his Sharingan as he ran towards those that were wearing eye cover or had avoided the powerful flash of light.

The Uchiha ran up and smacked the first one hard in the face, sending that one rolling across the ground before quickly spinning around and kicking another shinobi in the head. Turning around, he rammed his elbow into another one that tried to jump him. Grabbing the kunoichi's arm, he hurled her into two other Yuki-Nin, sending them all crashing to the ground. Throwing a kick backwards, he struck another ninja in the stomach, sending that one flying backwards while catching several flying shuriken and kunai in his hand, tossing them right back at the two shinobi that threw them. A young-looking male came up and threw a punch, which Sasuke caught with ease before elbowing the teenager in the armpit. Twisting around, Sasuke threw him over his shoulder onto the ground, which allowed him to dodge a Tiger Missile aimed his way. Sprinting towards the source, he grabbed the Yuki-nin who fired it and another one close by and slammed their heads together, then took a step backwards and drove his elbows into the abdomens of two more Yuki-nins. Sasuke then proceeded to spin around and kick them both to the ground before backflipping to avoid a charging Snow Ninja with a deadly looking spear. Once Sasuke's foot touched the ground, he leaped forward and jerked the spear out of the man's hand before promptly shoving the butt of the weapon into the man's throat. With the man squawking in pain (the blow rendering him unable to properly yell), Sasuke calmly snapped the spear over his knee and tossed the two fragments off to the side. And this was all in the span of ten seconds.

Naruto performed the seals needed as he shouted "Fuuton: Kaze Doriru!" Winds covered his entire body as he began rotating, propelling himself to the ground at a decent speed towards three men below, striking right in between them and sending them soaring in different directions as Sasuke and Sakura stopped on either side of him. Sakura began running through a string of seals while Sasuke raised his hand.

"Now why is he doing..." Koyuki started, only to see two of the Naruto clones grab her arms. "WAIT!! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO - !!"

In response, the two Kage Bunshin threw Koyuki right at the three kids, with Sasuke catching her easily enough. Uttering protests that no one bothered to listen to, both Sakura and Naruto finished their seals.

"Haruno Sakura no Jutsu!"

"Fuuton: Kaze Tate no Jutsu!"

A _massive _amount of winds erupted around the four people as they collided into all the stunned, blinded and deafened fifty enemies, flinging each and every one of them in all directions. With Sakura's genjutsu in effect, their senses were dulled all the more as they flew screaming through the air and came crashing down on the group with a loud _'THUMP!'_ each.

For a moment, it looked like Team 7 had just creamed the entire group flat with that little combo trick alone and won, until a series of _poofs_, ice sculptures and various clones became apparent, showing the usage of Kawarimi, the Aisushoo Damii, and many different sorts of clones, the most common of that being the Aisu Bunshin version.

With that, Sasuke tossed Koyuki back to her clone bodyguards (with her saying several choice words to the Uchiha as he did so) while he and Sakura dashed off to the side and Naruto brought his hands together. "Tajuu Kage Bushin no - "

That's when a Snow Ninja burst up from the ground right in front of Naruto, placing his right hand firmly on Naruto's forehead. "Ninpou: Mukounisuru!" A brief pain surged through Naruto's head, though he managed to finish the word 'Jutsu!'.

To his surprise, nothing happened. Disbelief etching itself on to his face, he threw a frantic punch at the Yuki-nin, who easily dodged. Once again, Naruto put his hands together. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Nothing. "_TAJUU KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!!" _Still nothing. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Once again, nothing. By now, Naruto looked on the verge of panic, his eye going wide. "_**KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!!!"**_

"It won't work," the Snow Ninja bragged, looking pleased with himself as he held out his hand, the kanji 'Disable' appearing on his palm. "With my jutsu, I just overrode several of your chakra pathways to block the utilization of a jutsu. In short, your Shadow Clones are completely off limits to you now. I was hoping to eliminate one of those troublesome wind jutsu... but this will do." He quickly formed seven seals as he held up his right hand again. "Now... which jutsu should I take away next?"

Naruto's visible eye darkened. This ASSHOLE just took away his ability to use his clones!? Oh... PAIN was coming his way for that! The orange and black clothed shinobi darted off towards the Snow Jerk while making handseals. The Snow Shinobi grinned as he took off running as well, his right hand ready. The two made their way towards each other when Naruto suddenly broke off his chain of seals and simply slammed his fist into the ninja's face. "Sucker Punch no Jutsu!!"

"Go-go-ood... j-j-jut-su..." the other man replied, his face caved in from the fist with a nice series of bruises and cracked facial bones as he collapsed on the ground.

Sasuke looked over and gave a smirk. "That's one enemy down for you... and _fourteen_ from me," he gloated, jerking his thumb backwards at the area he had been fighting.

"Oh, gloat while you can, Kizuato, because I guarantee you it's the only time you'll be able to!"

At that, the same ninja Naruto just clobbered suddenly jumped up behind the boys, kunai in each hand as he prepared to strike each of the boys, both whom glanced over their shoulders looking unimpressed by the action. As he moved to attack, Sakura came over and tripped the man. Spinning around, she jammed her elbow into the man's chest, sending him crashing to the ground yet again before delivering a blow to the 'Crushed-Face-san', knocking him out.

"Well done, Sakura-chan," Naruto said happily while Sasuke nodded his acknowledgement.

In return, Sakura smacked them both on the head.

"What was that for!?" both boys demanded while Sakura placed her hands firmly on their collars and pulled them close. "Look, idiots!" she shouted, getting right into their faces as she gestured at the area where Sasuke was fighting and no Yuki-nin sleeping on the ground. "If you're going to play a stupid game of who defeats more, make sure your target _stays down __**before **__you start counting! GOT IT!?!" _

"Yes ma'am," both boys replied automatically as they all noticed all the remaining Yuki-Nin coming at them. Next came a large barrage of ice lions, tigers, bears, dragons, rhinos, wolves, and eagles all at Team 7. Naruto didn't waste any time in spitting out mud, and a ten-foot thick wall emerged in front of all three of them. The ice zoo slammed into the earth wall, which held for only a few seconds before shattering completely into many tiny little pieces. Team 7 had been able to take advantage of that small instance and leapt out of the way of the remaining ice attacks.

That was when about ten more shinobi leapt out from the ground, throwing many shuriken and kunai at the trio of Leaf ninja. Sakura forced herself to remain calm as she grabbed two of the kunai and began deflecting all the other projectiles as best she could. However, a few did manage to break her defense and cut her along her arms and left leg lightly. Once the barrage was done, she threw her two borrowed weapons at a trio of Yuki-nin and formed the seals for her Mizu Hoippu. With a flick of her wrist, she sent her water whip lashing out at the three men, all of which dodged. One to the left, one to the right and one into the air. That third one formed a series of nine seals and shouted: "Hyouton: Iiguru Misairu no Jutsu!"

A small ice eagle appeared in front of the man's chest as it sped towards the pink-haired girl at a very fast pace. Instinctively, Sakura flicked her whip at the ice eagle, which slightly adjusted its course to avoid it, missing Sakura's head by a few hairs as a result. The jutsu slammed into the ground, leaving a hole about three feet deep. Feeling her heart pumping greatly, the Leaf Kunoichi flung her water whip directly at the Yuki-nin, wrapping itself around the man's torso and trapping his arms at his side. Next, she hurled the man down on one of his companions on the ground, then tossed him directly at the third one.

Two Snow Shinobi charged Naruto, one holding a battle-ax and the other holding two small daggers. Naruto's Kaze Kiwa snapped to life around his right arm as he slashed through the handle on the ax, sending the blade flying wildly in the air. The other ninja swooped in with his daggers going for Naruto's vitals, but the blond dodged at the last second, spinning around and delivering a heel kick to the base of the man's neck, shoving him down to the ground. Continuing the spin, he slashed the first Snow Shinobi across the chest.

"Fuuton: Kaze Kiwa!"

_What the freaking hell!?!_ Naruto thought outraged. Just who _dared_ use his jutsu?! Looking around, he saw a young boy around his age with a katana raised over his head. To the Uzumaki's surprise, fierce winds were surging around the boy's sword, prompting Naruto to jump out of the way as the sword struck the ground, leaving a clean cut along the ground.

"Kuso!" the other boy whined, sending a sharp glare to Naruto. "I'll get you this time, jackass!"

"Like hell you will!" Naruto replied back, as he reared his arm back. "And what's the deal calling your jutsu Kaze Kiwa, you fucking copycat!"

The Snow boy's face twitched. "Copycat?! You got a problem with my name, asshole?! It's a great name!"

"I have dibs on that name!"

"Since when!?"

"Since always!" Naruto held his arm with the Kaze Kiwa active. "_This _is the Kaze Kiwa! Not your little knife there!"

"You called _that thing_ Wind Edge?!" The boy looked at it and started laughing out loud, resulting in Naruto's face twitching dangerously this time. "You retard! That doesn't even fit! Wind Spiral, Wind Drill or even Wind Point would work, but Wind _Edge_? What kind of idiot are you to call it that?" The boy was now holding his stomach as he kept laughing, wiping a tear from his eye with his free hand.

"And what you call it for that toy is better!?" Naruto demanded, cutting the boy's laugh short. "Why do you use a sword like that anyway? Could be to compensate for something a bit _smaller_ on you?"

The Snow boy's eyes grew dark. "Hey! Hanani Kakeru needs not compensate for anything, you one-eyed, fashion-challenged pansy! At least I know how to properly name a technique!"

"What you know is how to brag loudly without being able to back it up, you scrawny little weakling! Anyone with a brain cell can tell that _this…!_" He moved his arm around for emphasis. "…is the true Kaze Kiwa!"

"Do you always enjoy listening to your own shit so much!? Everyone would agree _mine _is the true one!"

"Sure, when Orochimaru dances ballet!!"

"You're just a stupid moron!"

"That's the best retort you have!?"

"Like you've the master of them!?"

"Damn right I am!"

"Sh-shut up! Anyway my jutsu is still better fitting than yours!"

"Bullshit! Fine, whoever wins this fight gets to use the name!"

"Sounds good to me!"

With that, the two charged each other, each with their respective Kaze Kiwa active. Kakeru slashed at Naruto with his sword, who dodged easily enough. Naruto leapt forward in response, aiming for Kakeru's chest. The Snow boy spun around and dodged the strike as he aimed for Naruto's back, only for Naruto's foot to come up and hit the hilt of the sword, making it fly out of Kakeru's hand high into the air. A second later, Naruto slammed his Kaze Kiwa against the boy's chest. To his credit, Kakeru managed to dodge at the last second to avoid a clean hit, but the damage was done. Giving a loud groan of pain, Kakeru collapsed on the snow, his chest area now brightly colored red. Naruto put his hands on his hips with a prideful smirk that he 'won' the right to the name.

As for Sasuke, he was engaged in taijutsu combat with three Yuki-nins, weaving in and out through a series of punches, kicks and weapons, thanks to the aid of his Sharingan. He hit one of them in the face while dashing to the side, avoiding a katana strike. Planting his foot firmly on the ground, he bounced off and kicked the man in the stomach while pulling the sword from his grasp, using it to parry a series of shuriken that were thrown by the third one.

Looking at the weapon in his hand, he gave a brief shrug. _Might as well. _With that thought, he took off running towards the third one, hitting him with the back of the blade across the face.

"Hyouton: Shimiru Kyuutai no Jutsu!"

Sasuke quickly looked back to see the first Yuki-Nin holding his arms above his head, a large frozen orb forming between his hands. With a yell, the man hurled it right at Sasuke, who opted to get as far away from that as fast as he could. The Snow Ninja made the tora seal and the frozen orb exploded into a lethal shower of hundreds of razor-sharp-looking ice spikes, with many going in the Uchiha's direction. The young Leaf genin clenched his teeth as he held up the newly acquired blade. _Think of it like a kunai, _Sasuke told himself, holding the katana tightly in his grasp. _Don't let the size and weight confuse you. Use it to your advantage._

So with that thought and using his eyes to guide his weapon, Sasuke used the sword to deflect all the ice spikes that came his way, his sword whipping around in a blaze for thirteen long, agonizing seconds. At the last second, one of the ice spikes hit his hand and forced him to drop his sword. That split moment of hesitation led to one of the ice spikes heading straight for his left knee. While Sasuke was able to see it, he wasn't able to avoid it slamming into the side of his knee, causing pain to shoot up his leg.

Sasuke gave a brief yell before rolling along the ground, regrabbing the fallen sword as he did and stood up, right as the Yuki-nin was preparing to strike with a kunai. Sasuke deflected the knife and forced the man off balance. Using the opportunity, Sasuke formed a Faiatama in his left hand and shoved it against the man's Chakra Pack, causing it to implode, and then kicked him away.

At that moment, he saw a large shadow on the ground. Looking at the source of the shadow, Sasuke felt the urge to groan.

A fourth Snow Shinobi was standing there. This guy was enormously tall; had to be close to eight feet and had a build to him to match. He looked quite muscular, even with the thick clothes covering him. Like other Chunin, he had standard Yukigakure equipment, but he held a humongous battle-axe. The wicked looking half moon blade was nearly a meter in length.

Oh... that was _not_ good. Like an Angel of Death, the large man jumped forward swinging his axe expertly and easily with one hand. Almost in a casual sense.

Sasuke was forced to back off immediately as he dodged the weapon. The man kept coming forward, slicing at the boy with deadly proficiency. More than once, Sasuke found himself using his own sword to block against a direct hit. The impact made his entire arm feel like lead.

That's when the man took a bold step forward and began spinning around like crazy, not unlike the Hyuuga's Kaiten technique. He held the giant axe out at arm's reach, giving a buzzsaw like appearance around the center of the man. Even with the Sharingan, Sasuke barely had time to bring up his sword to defend against the strike. The blades clashed, and the force propelled Sasuke back several meters. His arm felt like it was on fire from the hit, and he thought the sword had broken from impact.

Reacting quickly, Sasuke placed one hand on the ground and recovered himself before immediately dashing back towards the large Yuki-nin, until the dash became a slide across the ground underneath the spinning blade. Sasuke hit the man's feet as he slid, knocking the large man off balance. The man immediately stopped twirling in an attempt to balance himself, but the Uchiha was one step ahead. Jumping up, he placed one hand on the man's neck and slammed his head into the ground.

A shout of pain would have escaped the man, except that the Snow Ninja, Danmari, was a mute. He lost his voice due to an injury on a mission six years previously. He could only lie there silently as unconsciousness claimed him.

Sasuke didn't have time to relish in his victory as he saw five more Snow Ninja in the air. "Heads up!" he shouted.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" the five shinobi shouted, proceeding to launch Grand Fireballs in the three Konoha-nin's directions. Both Naruto and Sakura were able to back off thanks to Sasuke's warning, resulting in all five fire attacks slamming harmlessly into the ground... right as more Snow Shinobi came leaping right at Team 7.

"Naruto! Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, before seeing another Snow Ninja, a kunoichi this time, come running up and throwing a punch at him, though he dodged easily enough. The kunoichi merely continued with a series of punches at the boy, who blocked them all with his free hand. Seeing her attack was pointless, the girl – a few years older than Sasuke himself – backed off. "That all you got?" Sasuke asked casually.

"You want more?" the girl, Hari, asked, a smirk appearing on her face. It gave Sasuke the distinct impression of a falcon for some reason. "Then let me show you the power of the Gyokuei clan!" She put her hands together in a seal Sasuke didn't recognize. "Ningenteki Kesshou!"

To Sasuke's astonishment, the girl's right arm began changing. At first it seemed like it was getting frozen over, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't ice, but crystal. In a matter of seconds, it became entirely crystallized, and Hari charged again. Sasuke's sword clashed with her arm several times, sparks flying out with each hit. The girl jumped into the air and came down with a fierce right jab. Sasuke managed to block the strike, but to his surprise, the girl's fist opened up.

Sunlight glowed on the girl's shoulder, before streaking through the girl's crystallized arm. The sunlight hit portions of the inner crystals, bouncing rapidly, and with each bounce, that light grew brighter and brighter. When Sasuke saw the light heading for her hand, he let out a surprised curse as he backed off as fast as he could.

The sunlight burst from the girl's crystal-covered right hand towards where Sasuke's head had been but a moment ago. The light beam raced across the open field until it struck a tree. The base of the tree exploded, causing it to fall to the ground, the sound of it echoing for miles around.

The next thing the Gyokuei clan member knew, Sasuke's uppercut slammed into her chin, throwing her to the ground. Recovering with a roll, she got back up to her feet, looking mildly disappointed. "Now why did you block my strike, avoid my Chokushanikkou and uppercut me? You're _so_ not cute!"

_So... not... _cute_?_ the Leaf genin repeated to himself, dumbfounded. Refusing to get beaten up made him uncute in her eyes? He didn't even want to know what was running through her mind, so he rushed her. In response, she formed that seal again. The rest of her body began crystallizing all over. Sasuke didn't give it a second thought as he tossed his borrowed weapon to the ground and began forming the seals for his Chidori... but the Snow Chunin beat him to the punch, as her entire crystal body gave off a bright flash of light, blinding the Uchiha.

Sasuke's hands went to his eyes as he gave a scream. "Your Sharingan, like other Doujutsu…" Hari said, running forward. "…may be powerful, but it's still just eyes. Enhanced eyes that work against you with things like... say... a solar flash. Now be cute and let me hit you!"

The Snow kunoichi struck the blinded genin in the stomach, sending him rolling across the ground. She followed quickly, lifting her leg up and slamming it against the boy on the ground.

Now he was being cute! Cuteness was like the adorable puppy or kitten that people kept with them. Small, cuddly, soft and didn't hurt you at all! That's what cute was, and the boy was finally playing his part! Hmm... you know... it really was a pity the boy wasn't just a few years older...

… and that was when she noticed what she just kicked was a log on the ground. "Oh... phooey!" she complained as she heard the words behind her. She turned just in time to see the Grand Fireball coming her direction. Crossing her arms in front of her, the fire jutsu struck her arms and dispersed, leaving no damage. She then overlapped her hands and opened her palms, sending out an enhanced Chokushanikkou wave right towards the Uchiha. In response, Sasuke's foot touched his fallen sword and casually tossed it up to his hand, holding it up in front of him. Her Chokushanikkou came slamming into the blade… and bounced right back!

_Uh oh..._

She was too slow to realize or react by producing a Taiyou Bunshin to what Sasuke had been planning as her own Chokushanikkou slammed into her face, making her the one to place her hands over her eyes and scream in pain. Thanks to her bloodline, it didn't actually hurt her, but it was the equivalent of having intense lights turn on right in front of your face. And that was pretty painful.

"I knew it," Sasuke said, letting his sword fall to the ground as he ran through the seals for his next jutsu. "As powerful as your sun rays are, it's still just light. Which means it's easily reflected." With that, the Chidori sprung to life in his hand. The chirping of a thousand birds was heard throughout the battlefield, but anyone who was looking would see the Chidori was seemingly getting smaller and smaller. Upon further inspection, one would see Sasuke's free hand glowing brightly with the affects of Chidori, until it was active on both hands, though the power it was emitting was barely a tenth of a regular Chidori, even with both hands together.

Sasuke quickly ran over and sent Hari flying into the air with a punch to the face. Before the Snow kunoichi could land, Sasuke slid under her body and kicked straight up, sending the Snow bloodline user further into the air. Next, Sasuke used about 50 consecutive hits on the kunoichi's body in an attempt to penetrate that crystallized defense, which sent her higher and higher into the air. Sasuke shot back down to the ground before shooting back up, hitting with a full power attack. As a result, a large series of cracks appeared all over the chest and stomach areas of the Gyokuei member. The lightning from Sasuke's strikes was taking effect as well as the boy ended with a spin kick to the exposed part of the ribs. Hari went flying through the air, where she collided with another Yuki-nin, and both went crashing to the ground, shattering both of their Chakra Packs, while Sasuke landed easily himself.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the kunoichi's body turn to normal. In place of the cracks were a mass of bruises and cuts. From what he could tell, probably a few cracked ribs as well. Nothing too serious, he saw, which he was privately grateful for. It was why he improvised his Chidori instead of using a full-fledged one.

He had already taken one life. He wasn't sure if he was ready to take another.

Suddenly, a series of kunai with exploding tags came right him, which he sidestepped easy enough. He looked over at the Yuki-Nin and waved his finger disapprovingly.

And that's when he got kicked in the back.

Naruto was dashing back and forth, dodging a series of strikes from two Yuki-nin, both wielding large pikes in an attempt to skewer him.

"Ninpou: Ganseki Sentou!"

Naruto didn't have time to see where the voice was coming from because underneath him, a rock spire emerged from the ground, ready to shish-kebob him from bottom to top. In response, he diverted to the side just enough for it to pass him. Planting his foot on the side of it, he pushed himself off right towards one of the other Snow Ninja, elbowing the old man in the neck. Grabbing the man by the arm, he hurled him around and tossed him into the second pike wielder. Both grunted as they fell to the ground. In a flash, Naruto grabbed both of the pikes out of their hands, and spun around.

The third Yuki-nin had his hands on the ground. Looking up, he saw Naruto hurl both of the pikes right at him. The Snow Shinobi dodged them with ease as he ran through another string of seals.

"Katon: Hibashira no Jutsu!"

Once again, an attack came from underneath Naruto, but thanks to the previous attack, he was already expecting something like that. Dodging easily, he formed the seals needed and cried out "Katon: Jigoku Kaze Oshiyaru!"

The man's eyes went wide as the fiery maelstrom flew right at him. "HOLY CRAP!!!" he yelled before he took off running, frantically trying to get away from the jutsu. Naruto gave a laugh… before being punched in the face by yet another Snow Ninja.

At the same time, a trio of kunai slammed into Sakura's back. The Yuki-Nin grinned before seeing the body explode into a log. Sakura herself came running from behind him, delivering a solid thrust kick to the man's back, sending his sliding across the ground.

"Hyouton: Aakutikku Reiki no Jutsu!" A sudden blast of cold air laden with snow came right at Sakura, who wasn't able to dodge in time. Giving a cry, she found herself flying through the air before a chain wrapped itself around her upper body, pinning her arms at her side. Looking around, she saw another Yuki-nin smiling, the chain connected to his right wrist. That was when a blade popped out from his left wrist as the man yanked with all his might, pulling the pink-haired girl right towards him and his blade.

At the last second, Sakura maneuvered herself and slammed her feet against the flat side of the blade, stabilizing herself. Lunging off her left foot, she kicked the man across the face as hard as she could. Blood flew from the man's mouth as the chain slackened, and Sakura quickly used this opportunity to slip out and jump to the ground. Grabbing the chain with her hands, she gave a cry as the whirled the man with all her strength and flung him at the other Yuki-nin, who was taken completely by surprise as his comrade slammed into him.

"Hell yeah!" Sakura cheered, throwing up a fist in triumph before another ninja tackled her.

With all three down on the ground, the Snow Ninja pressed their advantage. From their ranks, three strong-looking shinobi came forth, each one having four long tube-like things on their backs (two long and two short) in addition to another small pack over their Chakra Packs. The three men held out their arms, and the tubes immediately flipped over, two over the shoulders and two across the arms. A hailstorm of small shuriken blasted out from each tube at a shockingly fast speed. Easily ten times that of a thrown one.

These were the Shuriken Rapid Throwers. The tech was actually a much smaller, more compact version of the kunai-launchers that were in Doto's train, except they shot shuriken because they were smaller, which meant more room when they were loaded into their ammunition clips. The ammo was carried on the ninja's back (over their Chakra Pack for added protection of the Pack). The shuriken were then channeled into special loading/firing tubes. There were a total of four launchers: two short barrels that were mounted over the shoulders and two long barrels that could be handheld. The short barrels could fire multiple shuriken at one time to cover a wide area, while the long barrels could only fire one at a time, but at much greater speeds and precision. When not in use, the launcher barrels could be swung around to lock into place on the backpack. The trade-off for this firepower was not only the considerable weight, which meant only very strong ninja could use them, but these launchers had a tendency of jamming if they were overused or fired too rapidly.

Naruto jumped to his feet and took off running, while Sasuke stood his ground, effortlessly blocking the shuriken barrage with kunai in hand. He was going so fast you could see sparks from when the metal weapons clashed. Sakura eyes flew open as she attempted to move, just missing the first wave by centimeters. She could feel the metal stars breeze past her. One of the men turned towards her, launching a new batch with her forming her rock gloves and began blocking shuriken. She managed to get three before crossing her arms protectively over her vital areas, unable to keep up.

That lasted for a moment before Sasuke jumped protectively in front of her, his hands working like magic as he fended off the shuriken swarm. "Thanks..." Sakura said gratefully.

Though she couldn't see it, Sasuke gave a small smile in satisfaction. Before he could utter a reply, they both heard a loud "AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" Looking over, they both saw Naruto running around frantically as two of the Shuriken users were shooting at him relentlessly, with Naruto yelling at the top of his lungs painful promises of death to the 'cowshit-spewing fucktards'.

At that, the two Snow Shinobi's faces grew bright red in anger. One of them jumped into the air – and given the weight on his back, it was an impressive feat. In the air he began wiggling around like a madman, firing his shuriken in all sorts of random places in the blond boy's direction, while his partner remained on the ground. Naruto made a face that was both comical and fearful as he took off running yet again, jumping here and there, increasing and decreasing speed at a moment's notice and even pulling a few replacements.

And Sasuke was enjoying every minute of it, snickering under his breath.

The one in the air landed back on the ground and all three ninja were furious at being unable to hit the blond turd and unable to break the Uchiha's guard. At the same time, three Snow Kunoichi appeared right behind Koyuki and her group of Shadow Clone bodyguards. One grabbed the Snow princess, covering her mouth as she jumped back, right as all the clones began cussing at their mistake. That Snow Ninja pulled back while the other two formed the seals Tori, Uma, Tatsu, Tori, Tatsu. Control. Focus. Seek. Control. Seek. "Howaito Nuguitoru!"

Immediately, a dense white blanket of fog began covering the clone escorts and the three Leaf ninja. The trio of Kunoichi as well as the other surrounding Yuki-nin jumped back so that they wouldn't get caught in it as well.

And now the three Genin punks were going to get a taste of what these babies could do! And with all of them in that White Out fog, their chances of seeing or hearing the attack were nil!

Which meant that the kids were dead meat!

With that, each of them began firing their shurikens into the white fog. Sure, they couldn't see in anymore than the Leaf genin could see out, but with one firing high, another mid level and the third firing low, they were confident they would hit the children.

Koyuki felt her eyes grew wide with fear as she watched the ninja fire their shuriken again and again, though she tried to collect herself. She warned them, did she not? Why should she care if they went and got themselves killed? Doto himself was laughing victoriously, while the movie crew were holding their breath (save Makino, who was taking the opportunity to light his pipe) as they wondered if Team 7 would survive this onslaught or not.

That's when the white fog suddenly began flying outwards at an abrupt pace, revealing a large chain of Narutos spinning furiously around, with the Naruto at the top having the Kaze Doriru active. Sasuke quickly sent a Faiatama directly at the head of the drill, setting it ablaze.

When the fog came on them, each member of Team 7 had tried to get rid of the fog before Sasuke's Sharingan detected the incoming shuriken seconds before they could hit. Sasuke had quickly rushed to his two teammates and shoved them to the ground, just missing the opening wave of shuriken. The Naruto clones caught on quickly enough, but three of them still perished. After a few moments of rolling along the ground like crazy, they finally countered. Using her Rock Gloves, Sakura stood in front and blocked as many of the shurikens as she could, with Sasuke giving her directions on when and where to block. This allowed the Narutos time to get together in a chain to dispel the fog, a move that made both the Uchiha and the Haruno roll their eyes. Figures that Naruto would go for a flashy method to get rid of the fog. Stupid showoff...

To say that the Snow Ninja were stunned by the human chain spinning around would had been an understatement; they were downright shocked, especially the three with the Shuriken Rapid Throwers users. In a desperate attempt, they fired their shurikens at the human chain, only to have the 'nose' of it deflect all the shuriken with ease, until they ran out. This resulted in those three Yuki-Nin doing what Snow Ninja do best.

"_**AIIIIEEEEEE!!!"**_

Scream and run like pansies.

The blazing Kaze Doriru just missed the three ninjas as the tip slammed into the ground, boring into the snow and dirt with ease. The three young men jumped backwards and prepared to fire again, only to notice each of their launchers had kunai jammed into them... with exploding tags on some of them. "Oh crap..." they said together as the bombs went off, propelling the three men through the air, their equipment destroyed. The Naruto Chain broke apart right then as they all did a series of backflips until they all came to a stop on top of the lake, each Naruto going through the string of seals.

"Suiton: Tajuu Suiryuudan!" the Narutos all roared as a swarm of Water Dragons came rushing right towards the cluster of Snow Ninja. Sasuke smirked. "Don't count me out! Katon: Kisou Karyuu no Jutsu!"

A fire dragon shot out of Sasuke's mouth while Sakura gave a mental shrug and hoped she didn't regret this. "Doton: Daichi Kobura no Jutsu!"

An out-of-place snake flew towards the enemy amongst all the dragons. Several Yuki-Nin screamed at that as they began running for dear life; especially the one that the Kisou Karyuu was following. He was currently running in circles with panic evident on his face, trying to escape the mass of fire. "Badday!Badday!Badday!Badday!Badday!Badday!Badday!Badday!Badday!Badday!"

The other Yuki-Nin, however, stood their ground as they began their own jutsu, many replacement jutsu taking effect. Several Ice Walls erupted protectively. Some of the walls shattered from the impact of the water dragons while others managed to freeze them, turning them into ice, where they fell to the ground in a crash depending on the individual skill level of the users. Four Yuki-Nin all formed the same seals as they all shouted "Shiirudo Kagavakashii Yuki!"

Glittering Snow Shields sprung to life around the two men and two women. The Water Dragons slammed into the shields, only to be continuously encased in ice and snow more and more with each passing second. Within five seconds after initial contact, the now frozen Water Dragons broke apart into harmless pieces.

Another ninja stood defiantly against a Water Dragon coming directly for him. "Katon: Zanbato." He held out his hands and a GIANT Zanbato appeared. He gave a loud cry as he swung the fire weapon over his head and then swung it forward with all his might. The Water Dragon coming right at him was slashed in two as a result, resulting in the jutsu collapsing into harmless puddles. Other Snow Ninja gawked at him in awe. Just how powerful was that technique if it could defeat a _water _jutsu!?

Another ninja formed a large Earth boulder from the ground and sent it flying directly at the heart of the Water Dragons. It exploded in an impressive blast that took out two Water Dragons, due to both its power and elementary advantage.

"Hyouton: Tsunami Furasshu Hyouketsu no Jutsu!" shouted another. A massive and widespread torrent of water engulfed three Water Dragons. Each one was frozen over in an instant. The three frozen Water Dragons hung in the air for a moment before falling back to the earth, where they shattered into countless tiny fragments.

At that, a Naruto Kage Bunshin grunted. In response, that one jumped in the air, the Tatewaru forming on his arm. Another Naruto saw him as he diverted his Suiryuudan towards the blond in the air.

"_First off, you are right in thinking that a hybrid element is the result of a bloodline, but that's when you use the two elements simultaneously to create something new. The Snow Village doesn't do that. Instead, we build off the elements, using one first, then adding the other to create ice. It's not as efficient as together, but it gets the job done."_

_In that case…! _The two Narutos thought together as the one in the air slammed his Shieldbreaker into the Water Dragon. The Water Dragon began to take a crude white and solid look as it suddenly shot forward towards the same Snow Ninja. That man's eyes shot up in surprise as he poured more chakra into his attack, sending his Flash Freeze directly toward the new Water Dragon.

The two jutsu clashed in a loud roar. Due to the speed, a small part of the Ice Water Dragon burst throughthe makeshift Tsunami and hit the man right in the chest. Though much of the power was lost, it was still far more than enough to propel the now screaming man at a furious speed until he slammed into a tree... fifty meters away.

Likewise, a portion of the Tsunami hit the Naruto Clone in the air, both freezing a part of the clone and shooting it high into the sky, where it disappeared with a twinkle.

The last Water Dragon was heading for a lone Yuki-Nin, who cried "Suiton: Junsai no Jutsu!" Water leapt from the lake into a protective shield around the Snow Shinobi, which lasted exactly 3.2 seconds before that same Water Dragon burst through it and rendered the Ninja unconscious.

At the same instant, the Kisou Karyuu struck its fleeing target, knocking out yet another Yuki-Nin. Sasuke gave a solemn nod to himself, quite satisfied to finally see his jutsu successfully used in battle.

Sakura's Ground Cobra was making its way to two Ninja, both of whom completed a sequence of seals and together cried "Doton: Ishikorokaze no Jutsu!"

Chakra-infused rocks and boulders leapt out from the ground while a massive whirlwind came at the same time, resulting in the rocks being sucked into the whirlwind to create a rocky death trap. Sakura's giant earth snake slammed into the rock barrage, the various pieces striking the snake repeatedly with several cracks appearing. Sakura clasped her hands even tighter as sweat began dripping down her forehead. _Just a few more seconds!_ she screamed privately as she poured some more chakra into the attack. The cracks on the Ground Cobra healed up as it slammed into the Snow Earth User, the Wind User able to avoid it in time. The man gave a gasp of pain before his world went black.

Sakura was breathing hard, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She was starting to tire... but she couldn't afford to fall just yet... no... she could still keep going... she had to...

Once all the attacks were done, the clones lined up like some pro sports team. "Time to get the Bratty Princess back!" the real Naruto shouted as all the clones uttered 'Hai!'

"GO!!!"

With that, blond, Uchiha, and Leaf Kunoichi took off running towards the Snow line, the three Snow girls from earlier grabbing Koyuki and moving back. In response, the Naruto Bunshins smashed into the snow lines, while Naruto and Sasuke prepared for their next jutsu.

"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"

"Fuuton: Kaze Oshiyaru!"

Sasuke blew out a series of fireballs while Naruto blew out a constant stream of powerful wind. He turned his head from right to left blowing his winds right on each of the fireballs. One by one, each of Sasuke's fireballs grew in intensity and speed, sending each enhanced fireball crashing into the Snow Shinobi. "These count as points for me or you?" Sasuke asked, running alongside the boy.

"Me, of course," Naruto responded, flashing a grin. Sasuke just waved him off as they broke apart into two different directions.

Sasuke charged, followed shortly by Sakura, with the remaining 23 Kage Bunshins on the majority of the Snow Shinobi. Sakura quickly pulled out six kunai with pouches attached as she began lobbing them in every direction she could, gesturing to make the pouches explode into a series of small floating pieces of paper. At that, Sasuke sent another Grand Fireball right into it, igniting them all in a flash.

The explosion that followed was truly a sight to behold, with the blast radius easily thirty meters. The clones were aware of it coming, so they were able to clear the blast area in time, though a portion of Yuki-nin had not.

As for Naruto, two more enemy shinobi appeared, throwing a series of kunai and shuriken at the black and orange clothed boy. Naruto dodged all the projectiles and came up right to the two men. Both tried to punch Naruto next, but the blond merely caught their arms and jumped up, kicking them both in the chins.

Immediately, six more shinobi came right at him, armed with swords, spears, a scythe and a mace. All the weapons came together in a clash right where Naruto's head had been a second ago. Lying on the ground, Naruto had his next jutsu ready to go. "Fuuton: Kaze Tate no Jutsu!"

Once again, massive winds burst from the boy and hit the shinobi, sending all eight flying across the landscape. Three of them crashed into their fellows in a bizarre human domino effect. Jumping back to his feet, he took off again, heading for Koyuki.

All three Snow Ninja frowned, clearly not liking the idea of having the princess and losing her to the Leaf genin. So one took a kunai in each hand as the other two stayed with Koyuki, one holding on to the Princess tightly, while the other one's hands were flying

That's when Naruto noticed the landscape began changing. Snow began falling all the harder, tree branches seemingly stretched on downward and the ground seemed to be erupting. Next, Naruto felt a sharp pain in his foot, causing him to bite his tongue in reflex. Giving a mental curse, he couldn't see anything on the ground to that he ran into it. Taking a chance, he snapped on his Oboro and the changes that just happened all vanished, returning the surroundings to what they had been a moment ago, allowing Naruto to resume his charge at the female Ninja, who just "volunteered" for him to take his frustration out on!

Seeing that their teammate's Kori Shinchuu no Jutsu had failed, the two other women nodded as their friend took a beating. "GO LONG!!!" they shouted to the others as they regrabbed Koyuki (ignoring her protest) and lifted her over their heads. At that, Koyuki groaned. "Not you too!!!"

One ninja was hopping up and down. "I'm open! I'm open!"

The two Snow Kunoichi nodded to each other as they hurled Koyuki high into the air to the eager youth, with Naruto missing by just seconds. "Dammit!!"

"I! _HATE!_ YOU! _**ALL!!!" **_the actress yelled as she soared right towards the young man... only to have Sasuke come running out and kick the guy out of the way. "Interception," he said with a smirk, jumping up to catch their wayward client.

Right when Sasuke was about to catch her, a gust of wind blew the Uchiha out as another Snow Ninja male caught Koyuki in his arms. "Fumble!"

"What is this, some weird game of football?" Kaijo asked from his position, while Makino just took it all in, laughing the entire time.

The man laughed happily, glad that his Geirufoosu no Jutsu worked so well. He turned towards the train, determined to bring their quarry over… when suddenly he felt a foul chakra presence. Gulping, he turned back around to see the Uchiha hopping mad, as black marks appeared on his face and arms, the horrible chakra feeling filling the air and alerting the remaining Snow Ninja, stopping them in their tracks momentarily. The happy laugh turned into a nervous chuckle as he gulped. _Uh oh... RUN AWAY!!!_ With that, he tossed Koyuki over his shoulder as he began frantically running for the train.

"_**Come back here!**_" Sasuke roared angrily as he ran towards the fleeing man, flanked by several Naruto clones. He dodged a pair of seal heads that tried to bite into his ankles, several big Yuki-nin that tried to tackle him, and jumped over several flying water bullets. While the Naruto clones weren't so lucky, Sasuke continued to run down that Snow ninja, who tossed Koyuki to another shinobi.

"Handoff!" the man said before getting his face bashed in.

The new Yuki Shinobi didn't get more than five meters before flower petals and strong fragrances filled his nostrils. Ignoring the struggling woman in his arms, he looked around for the source until a fist slammed into his face. Sakura grabbed Koyuki and threw the Snow Princess on her back, running away.

"T-that's... a... a... f-f-oul..." the man complained, waving his arm lazily before taking a nap on the ground.

"Hold on!" Sakura said, running back to the old spot. Koyuki just spat in her hair, causing her expression to darken.

"Don't._ Do. That. __**AGAIN,**__" _Sakura hissed at the older female, while inner Sakura roared: _TRY THAT AGAIN, YOU BITCH, AND I'LL SEND YOU FLYING!!!_

Koyuki paled and merely nodded. "... gomen..."

The pink-haired girl continued running, as eight more Yuki-Nin came in front of her, ready to stop her.

_Wham! Wham! Bam! Slam! Crunch! Punch! Kick! Holler!_

Now those same Yuki-Nin were face-first on the snow, seeing stars.

Unfortunately, a fire dragon appeared right at Sakura's feet, circling her over and over as it engulfed her. Before it swallowed her entirely, she tossed Koyuki into the air as the flames enveloped her completely. Naruto, Sasuke, heck, even the Yuki-Nin and remaining Kage Bunshins watched to see if the girl had perished or if she managed to evade the attack somehow. The ninja who had used the Taba no Doragon watched anxiously, figuring that the first kill on these pesky genins was his! Doto would be sure to reward him!

When the fire did die out, all there was was an incinerated log. The man groaned as the real Sakura appeared right by her two mates, revealing black scorch marks on her (most notably her cloak). In addition, one of her arm gloves was gone, showing that her left arm was slightly red, and her hair was a bit out of place. She was breathing hard, but her eyes still showed the same determination as before as they looked directly at the Yuki Fire User.

As for Koyuki, she continued falling to the ground, only to be caught by a single Kage Bunshin a ways from the battlefield and train. "Touchdown!"

The word brought a smile to each of the Leaf genins, knowing that they had been able to recover their client and get her out of the fighting, while each of the still standing Snow Shinobi grew quite irritated. One of them took a step forward. This man's skin was paler than those of his comrades and he had amber-like eyes. In addition, a black stripe ran across his face just underneath his eyes. In a quick motion, he bit his thumb as he ran through five familiar seals.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

For this man, Kugi, was a member of Snow's Shiroikuma Clan. Often called the "Inuzuka of the East", a nickname that always made the Shiroikuma clan burn with rage; they wanted to be known as _themselves,_ not as a comparison for some Leaf ninja clan. The black stripe on Kugi's face signified he was a common member among the clan. Those with red stripes were elite members, and a white stripe signified the head family.

A large polar bear about ten feet high gave a roar as Kugi jumped on the bear's back. "Let's go, Konguseki! Let's squash these fleas!!"

Konguseki gave a roar as it brushed the ground, much like a bull that was getting ready to charge. It then gave a roar as it began running towards the leaf ninja. One of the remaining Naruto clones formed the Tatewaru around his arm, while Sasuke jumped over to him, his sword out in his hand again. Naruto punched the air, his wind-encased fist touching Sasuke's foot, and the result was Sasuke flying through the air like a bullet. Far too fast for the bear to avoid, the Uchiha thrust his sword into the thing's shoulder, making it roar loudly in pain. Sasuke pulled out the blade and flipped on top of the bear as he delivered a right kick on the Bear Rider, sending him flying off just as Konguseki disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Another ninja wearing metal boxing gloves ran right up to Sakura, throwing a right punch at her. This one was a boy about their age. She spun to the side, dodging it as she formed the seals for her Rock Gloves and slammed her fists on the ground. She brought up her right arm just in time to block the ninja's next strike.

That's when the boy whistled. "Wow! You're hot! Want to go out with Yashinka!?"

Against her will, Sakura found herself dumbfounded at the question. "EXCUSE ME!?"

"Go out with Yashinka! Yashinka, the Self-Proclaimed Prince of Snow (_Why is Self-Proclaimed part of the title? _Sakura wondered mentally) would love to take a girl like yourself out! Because Yashinka likes what Yashinka sees!"

"We're fighting here!" Sakura yelled, throwing a punch that Yashinka intercepted with his steel boxing glove. The two traded a series of blows, their respective gloves clashing over and over. "Your stupid boss wants us dead and you want to ask me out on a date!?"

"Details, details! You're beautiful! You're so charming! You're a hottie!" Yashinka ranted off, completely absorbed in his own fantasies at the moment rather than the fight, though despite that, he was still matching Sakura blow for blow. Maybe part of the reason was because his little speech was reminding her of a very similar person: herself. How she used to just go on and on about how 'cool' Sasuke was back during the academy years. She knew now that it had been annoying, but had she really been _this obnoxious_!?

Perhaps she owed a certain someone an apology when this was all over.

_Please tell me I was not like this! Please tell me I was not like this! Please tell me I was not like this! _"And when we're finished dinner, we can _KISS _under the moonlight!" At that, Sakura snapped out of her little trip down memory lane, a vein threatening to pop from her forehead that would have matched Tsunade's expression fists raced forward and clashed once again, though this time Sakura's Rock Glove cracked and fell apart... and her hand opened up and grabbed onto the boxing glove. "LIKE HELL!!" Sakura roared, shifting her body weight around and throwing the Snow boy over her shoulder and high into the air.

"Call Yashinka!" the boy bellowed as he traveled through the air, colliding with another Yuki-nin a moment later.

"What was that about?" Sasuke asked, coming over to her. She merely responded with "Don't ask!"

Naruto bashed two ninja heads together with his hands, then ducked a kick from a third one, looking up to see the guy whirling a metal staff in his hands. He raised his weapon over his head and swung it down at Naruto, who caught it with his hands. Immediately he gave a yell as electricity shot through his hands and hit his body, causing him to back off. "What the fuck was that!?"

"Ah! I'm glad you asked!" the young man stated in obvious delight. He slammed the staff down on the ground, looking remarkably like a salesman. "One of the latest inventions of the Snow Country Tech! The Multi-Staff! Made with the rare chakra enhancing Mujounium steel! It allows the user to amplify their chakra element considerably, allowing much easier usage of the elements! By simply channeling your chakra into it, you can get a variety of effects! Fire will turn the staff hot, burning your foes! Wind will slice them, Lightning will shock them, earth will harden the staff, water will make it more slippery, allowing you to deflect your enemies strikes, and Ice will freeze them and give them frostbite! And that's only the beginner's level!"

In an instant, Naruto kicked the man in the stomach, then nailed him in the face. The Multi-Staff flew out of the man's hands and Naruto caught it, looking it over with interest. "Really? Cool. Thanks."

"...n-no... pr-prob-lem..."

That's when a large blast that looked remarkably like steam shot out, hitting the staff out of his hands and into the air. "Hey!" Naruto shouted in protest. "I wanted to try that out, damn it!"

"Maybe next time, brat!" the man of about thirty said, a katana of steam appearing in his hand next. He held the blade upright. "As a member of Snow's Fujiwara clan, it is my duty to painfully kill you as per Doto's orders. I hope you die well."

"... gee... thanks."

The Fujiwara member, Sekimu, lunged forward at the blond genin, who reached down to take out a kunai to block the man's strike. To Naruto's surprise, the steam katana stretched around like a snake towards the boy, who barely managed to dodge a strike to his chest. It did, however, pierce his shoulder a bit. The next thing he knew, he took a kick to his face that sent him crashing to the ground.

_Figures! _Naruto shouted mentally. _Jerkwad can bend the thing however he wants because it's not a solid, fucking bastard!_

The steam user seemed to be making a rolling motion with his hands before throwing them in the air. Steam flew forward towards an area right above his hand, converging and growing into the shape of a large anvil. Sekimu threw his arms down and launched the giant steam anvil down on top of Naruto. Not having any time to outrun it, he formed the seals for the Wind Thrust and blew out a deadly burst of wind at the ground, propelling him like a rocket as the anvil just missed him.

Sekimu didn't even pause as he thrust one hand forward, and the anvil blasted off towards a surprised Naruto, slamming into him like a fly on a windshield. The anvil kept on going right towards a tree to crush the boy.

Naruto growled in annoyance as his hands carefully made their way down to his weapons pouch and grabbed two exploding tags. Seconds before the steam anvil would have crushed Naruto into a tree, it exploded. Sekimu just looked in disbelief. Did the kid just blow _himself _up to escape!?

Naruto was flipping through the air and landed on the ground unharmed. When the tags exploded, he used the explosion to propel himself to the tree, then quickly ducked behind the tree for cover against the explosion before returning to his foe.

He looked up to see the Steam Katana aiming for his head, still feeling the effects of that stupid Disable jutsu on his forehead. Naruto bent over backwards into a handstand, then quickly pushed off the ground and back on two feet, several shuriken flying right towards the steam user, who deflected them quite easily. He tossed his sword into the air and ran through the seals again. The steam sword then broke apart into a dozen shuriken. The snow around the man began melting as more steam was created as a result, forming various other objects: sais, spears, kunai, glaives, maces, hammers and boomerangs. All the weapons flew directly at him, but he was more than ready.

A second later, his Kaze Tate was activated, blowing all the steam weapons off to the side. It didn't matter what they were made off, they still had to travel through the air. He looked and pointed directly at the steam user, yelling out a gleefully 'Ha!' before both the steam boomerangs turned around on their return path. Both came slamming into his skull, making his head ring from the impact.

"Ha," Sekimu replied evenly as he placed his hand on the ground. Naruto looked down and saw the snow underneath him melt. He leapt out of the way just in time to avoid a series of spears popping out like daisies underneath him. He took out a kunai and sent the Kunai Soufuu Atsu directly at the steam user. Immediately a large steam orb jumped from the ground and intercepted the wind blast, the two canceling each other. Naruto didn't care, though, as that strike was only meant to give him an opening as he charged the Yuki-nin. In response, ten large thin blades extended from the man's fingertips, like they were scissor hands. In response, Naruto's Kaze Kiwa came to life around his arm.

He used an upward block to parry the right scissor hands, then kicked upward, sending the guy off balance. His left scissor hands came at him from the side, forcing Naruto to dodge by ducking. This time, both of the man's scissor hands came at him, so Naruto used his Kaze Kiwa to block the man's right hand, while doing a one-handed handspring to avoid the other strike.

"TATEWARU!!!"

Sekimu's eyes shot up in pure shock as around Naruto's left arm, a massive raging maelstrom appeared. _His _other _arm!?!_ As Naruto landed out of the hand spring, he slammed his left arm in the ground, launching himself like a rocket right towards the Fujiwara clan member, who attempted to stop Naruto with his scissor hands, but missed as Naruto flew right past them, slamming his Kaze Kiwa in the man's chest. The man gave a cry as he was flung backwards across the battlefield and slammed into a tree, shattering his Chakra Pack. He then slumped to the ground.

Another man appeared right behind Naruto, firing the Tiger Missile right at him. This one was like the other standard Yuki-nin, but he had a small skull on a necklace hanging from his neck. Naruto let his Kaze Kiwa die out, while keeping the Shieldbreaker active as he rolled on the ground to avoid the shot. The man ran through a series of seals. "Katon: Bakuha Taihou!"

The eyes on the skull glowed red. Fires from previous Katon jutsu still lit the ground and all that fire flew up towards his open hands. The fire collected in his hands as it grew and grew into a ball about four times the size of a standard basketball. The skull he wore served two functions, the first of which was enhancing his Katon abilities! He launched the large Blast Cannon at the Uzumaki genin. Naruto got to his feet, his Tatewaru still ready. That's when Sakura jumped out of nowhere, her hands out and glowing.

_Come on... come on! _Sakura yelled mentally to herself. _It's a jutsu for beginners... I've studied it... I'm focusing all my might on it... so... COME ON!! _

In both her hands, two small fireballs formed perfectly. She gave a private cheer to herself as she slammed both of her Faiatamas into Naruto's Tatewaru. The thing glowed a bright red-orange and gave off a considerable amount of heat before launching Sakura's two Faiatama's like a rocket launcher. The first one slammed into the Snow Fire User's Katon attack, dispersing it completely and traveling on. The Snow Ninja's jaw dropped, but he managed to grab a hold of the small skull around his neck and toss it into the air. "Narakuseki no Jutsu!"

The skull's eyes glowed blue and it's jaw opened up. Immediately, blue flames shot out around the man a spherical formation. The first enhanced Faiatama slammed against it harmlessly, doing no damage. The second one hit the barrier and met a similar fate. The man inside smiled. "You won't break my Underworld Barrier. No one has."

Naruto merely smiled in return while Sakura looked back to see more Yuki-nin coming at them. They gave a nod to each other as Sakura took off after them, while Naruto cracked his knuckles. "No one, huh? Perfect. I just _love _doing the impossible."

The man looked interested. "Tell me, Uzumaki, what do you think of death?"

Naruto just looked at him. What the frickin' crap!? "Who cares! I've got a barrier to smash!" With that, he hurled several kunai with exploding tags on them towards the barrier. The weapons shattered easily against it, while the explosions bounced around harmlessly.

"Don't bother. My barrier protects me from _everything. _Taijutsu. Genjutsu. Ninjutsu. Everything. So you might as well just sit back and enjoy the chat."

Naruto flipped him off and fired a Water Dragon.

"I go by the name Eimin," the Yuki-nin told him calmly as the Water Dragon splashed harmlessly around his barrier.

"Don't care!" The Wind Thrust fired next with an exploding tag, igniting it and slamming into the barrier next. Another failure.

"Now, now, don't be rude." A Naruto clone came up next and struck with the Kaze Kiwa. Both were incinerated. "After all, we're having an intelligent conversation. So tell me, what do you think of death?"

Naruto sent a hard glare at him. "I think it's a regrettable part of life that takes too many good people too early and bastards not early enough!" He fired his Suiton: Booruban Mizu Dangan no Jutsu right at the barrier. The spinning water drill slammed hard and fast into the barrier, but once again, not a scratch was on it! This was starting to piss Naruto off!

"True enough," Eimin agreed. "Though my response would be quite different." He put his hands together with a content look on his face. "I find death _fascinating_."

Naruto stopped in mid-action from completing his next jutsu. "What?"

"Death is my hobby. My interest. Especially with all the different types of death. Natural. Illness. Accident. Battlefield. So many different ways and types."

"... dude... get some _serious _help."

Eimin made a disapproving face. "I _assure_ you that I'm not a homicidal maniac. You can't deny that a shinobi's lifestyle is surrounded by death."

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I delight in seeing death all around me!"

"Aren't you the least bit curious?"

Naruto made a face at him, his own single eye staring hard into Eimin's own eyes. "Curious?"

The Snow Ninja gave a nod as he put his hands together, fingertips touching. "On what happens to you after death. It's a thought that crosses everyone's mind at some point in their life. It's the one thing _everyone _shares. Doesn't matter what nation, village, background, ethnic group or even religion you come from. Everyone will lose to death in the end. Even those that claim to be immortal or who try and become immortal will lose due to overconfidence, taking one too many risks or even the test of time. It's the one fate we as humans share. Even the world itself will expire in time.

"Yet, what happens to us after death? What becomes of us? Some believe our spirits will ascend to another plane based on our actions in life. Some believe we will be reincarnated as another life to walk this earth again. Some think we are merely slabs of meat that when we die; we simply expire and rot underground and that's the end. Who can say who's right and who's not? Maybe it's something completely ridiculous as being reborn in another world entirely with all your memories of your previous life."

"If you're so eager, why don't just slit your own throat?" Naruto asked.

"Because I'm the type that enjoys the race just as much as crossing the finish line," Eimin told the boy. "My time will come, there's no doubt of that. After all, death is but the next great adventure. One that we all must take. Just as it will you and the rest of us. And while you've been enjoying my little speech, my next jutsu is nearly ready to go."

His Desumasuku jutsu was nearly complete. Once he released it, he would see if the boy was strong-willed or not. Either way, he would enjoy the sight of him struggling for life and wanting to live. "Now then... you best brace yourself because as you've seen, you can't touch me in here! Taijutsu! Genjutsu! Ninjutsu! It's all useless! All you can do is watch helplessly as I - "

"HENGE!!!"

There was a poof of smoke and a charming nude lady with long hair in ponytails appeared. She gave a light blush with her face as put her hands together. "Do you really want to blast little old me?" she asked in a sweet voice, giving a wink.

Eimin's jaw tore through his mask as it hit the snow covered ground. Around them both, the fighting came to a complete stop as they all took in the sight. Several Yuki-nin sprouted massive bloody noses as they crashed on the ground, others began ogling and gawking at the sight. Some just buried their faces in their hands and shook their heads disapprovingly.

Even the ninja still on the train reacted. Kiou passed out from joy, while Ikusa began muttering various death threats at the boy. Kiganai was just pointing at the boy, wondering if he really did what he did. On top of the hilltop, Taigi was just rubbing his eyes over and over as if to confirm what he was seeing was genuine, while Homare was laughing at the sight. _Well... that's one way to beat the barrier! Point to you, Naruto-kun!_

The movie crew was reacting in different ways as they took in the sight. Makino was overly praising the act as brilliant; Kaijo passed out from disbelief. Ken, Michy and Hidero just started pinching each other, trying to see if they were dreaming. Using that jutsu in a movie scene they could understand, but in a real life battle?

Koyuki was just clenching her fists at the sight, praying no one associated her with that ruffian! Sasuke was just shaking his head, torn between chuckling and disapproving. It was his own image Naruto was ruining, so Sasuke didn't care. Even Doto reacted to this, simply raising an eyebrow as he _expertly_ _analyzed_ the sight.

The 'woman' pointed at Eimin and beckoned him to come forward. "Come here, big boy! I have a surprise for you! Something from the joys of _life_!"

Eimin's rational mind (or what was left of it) told him it was just a trick and to just blast the Leaf ninja. His body, however, had other ideas as he dropped the barrier and just walked on forward like he was in a trance as his skull fell to the floor. He got right up to the girl and looked at her. "Yes?"

A second later, Naruto's fist slammed into the man's head and sent him crashing hard into the ground as the henge dropped. "Ha!" the boy yelled in triumph. "Can't beat your barrier my ass!" He pointed dramatically into the air. "Who's the man!? Who's the man!? Try experiencing life more before you focus on death again, moron!!"

"NA! _RU!_ _**TO!!!!**_" Naruto froze right there as he slowly turned his neck to look over his shoulder, just in time to feel a large slap on him. "I'm not sure I deserved that," he started, only to stop when he saw a pissed off Sakura cracking her knuckles, along with every single Snow Kunoichi from the battlefield, fifteen in all. Each one of them were glaring daggers at them with enough killer intent to make even Orochimaru nervous. _Uh oh... "_C-come... n-n-now... anything's... f-f-fair in a fight... and..."

"**YOU'RE DEAD MEAT, PERVERT!!!" **the sixteen kunoichi all shouted as they all began pummeling the boy. Fists and kicks rained all over the boy as he vainly attempted to try and justify his actions, saying he didn't use anyone specific as a model while he got a pounding. Sasuke and the remaining Snow Ninja just watched in a stunned silence.

_You know... I should probably stop this... _Sasuke thought to himself, but he allowed an amused grin to form on his face as he crossed his arms to watch the show. _But I'm enjoying this _way _too much!_

After a few seconds, Naruto was apologizing over and over while he was being beaten on when Sakura yelled at him that he had no excuse for it! At that, all the Snow Kunoichi stopped and looked at the two, suddenly remembering that they were all enemies after all. Sakura and Naruto stopped in mid action – a punch and pleading respectively – as they looked at the Snow shinobi around them, then at each other, then back at the enemy kunoichi again.

At that, smoke bombs dropped out of Naruto's sleeves while Sakura dropped several exploding tags. A large black smokescreen enveloped the two Leaf genin as Sakura's bombs went off, propelling the Snow Kunoichi high into the air. Naruto and Sakura ducked behind each of them as they went flying, destroying their Chakra Packs as they went along.

As for Sasuke, once they were doing that, he turned his attention back to the other Snow Ninja. Curse Seal still empowering him, he took the initiative and charged the nearest Snow Shinobi, rapidly striking across the man's chest before kicking him away. He heard an attacker cry 'Aisu Dango!' as a very large ice boulder appeared over the man's head. He hurled the thing at the Uchiha, fully intending to squash the boy like a bug. Sasuke tossed his sword into the air as he formed the seals for his Katon: Karyuu Kyuuzou. The Fire Dragon fired out of his mouth, slamming into the ice boulder and exploding.

Large cracks streaked through the thing as many pieces went flying about. Sasuke quickly caught his blade as it fell back to earth. He then knelt down and jumped upward, his foot slamming hard on the remaining portion of boulder and shattering it completely. At that moment, he saw the same ninja who had used it appear in front of him, using the debris as cover. The man punched Sasuke several times in the face and stomach before using a kick himself to send the boy crashing to the ground. Sasuke hit the ground and bounced once, his sword falling out of his grasp as he gave a cry in pain. The Yuki-Nin came down at him, throwing an Ice Bomb right at Sasuke.

The Uchiha Heir propelled himself upward and backflipped to escape the incoming fragments. He regained his balance and fired a Grand Fireball at the man, who merely brought up his legs and deflected it with his shin guards. But that action allowed Sasuke to recover and hurl himself at the man, kicking him across the face and sending him spiraling on the ground this time.

Sasuke landed on the ground and grabbed his left shoulder. _Ow... that last one hurt... _He looked up just in time to see another Yuki-Nin coming right at him, a right fist ready. Sasuke moved to block it, only to stop at the last second and pull back as thick black spikes shot out of the man's sleeve, nearly piercing Sasuke's own arm. It was only thanks to his Sharingan that he had seen it coming and managed to avoid it. "Ninpou: Nobasu," the man, Heaairon Oniikei boasted proudly.

"That's nice. Don't care," Sasuke responded in a deadpan voice as he dashed forward and swung his katana at the man, who raised his arm to block. The spike things on his arm clashed with the blade like they were metal. _WHAT THE CRAP!?! _Sasuke thought in outrage as he jumped back. Oniikei followed after him like a predator. "Heasupuree!"

At that, the black needle things launched off from the man's arm right at Sasuke, who dodged once again. _The hell!? Are you trying to tell me that those things are just HAIR!? _Shaking off his amazement, he rebounded off the ground and charged the Snow Ninja. He jumped over the Snow Ninja's next blow as he held his sword over his head and struck down towards the man's head. To his surprise, the man's hood burst apart, revealing more black hair spreading out like a sea urchin spike ball, deflecting the sword.

Sasuke just stared in amazement. _Holy crap... it really is just his hair.... _He didn't know what to make of that one way or another. The man came at him again, more of his hair needles flying. This time, the needles struck Sasuke all over... right before he shimmered out of existence.

The Heaairon Clan member jerked in surprise, turning around just in time to see Sasuke coming right at him. _This brat...! He moved so fast that he created a regular Bunshin in his place so smoothly that it looked like he was standing still! An afterimage! How can anyone move _that_ fast!?_

The next thing he knew, Sasuke slammed the back of his sword against the man's face. One more Snow Shinobi was knocked unconscious.

On another part of the battlefield, Naruto knocked out another Shinobi as he turned his head to see another one forming seals. "Hyouton: Kyuu Rin Woota no Jutsu!"

Naruto clenched his teeth – he only had about ten clones left from the original batch he had made to protect Koyuki – as he looked over to see a large ball of water hovering by the outstretched hands of the Snow Ninja. The man made a pushing gesture and the ball of water shot out towards the Narutos at blinding speed. All the Narutos managed to avoid the initial blow, but the second it touched the ground, the water ball exploded out in a large shower, drenching three of the Shadow Clones. A split second later, all three of them were completely frozen over. _Holy shit!_ Naruto thought in disbelief as he looked over at the man. That was COOL!!!! Sure, it just took out three of his clones, but who cared!? That was wicked awesome!!

He saw that man performing the move again, so he threw a smoke bomb the man. The bomb exploded around the Snow Ninja, covering him in a dense smoke screen and cutting off his sight. Still, he was a Chunin for a reason. He kept his cool and finished his Ball of Frigid Water again, jumping into the air and launching it at the group of blond-haired boys. It missed them all this time, but the boy threw two kunai at the man in response. _Pathetic._

He easily deflected the knives when both of them exploded into Narutos. _He disguised his clones as the kunai!?_ the Snow ninja thought in Naruto clasped the other one and flung him directly at the man, a spiraling orb of chakra in his hand. The Naruto shouted out 'Rasengan!' as he slammed the attack into the Snow Ninja. The man went flying down like a missile and crashed into the ground, forming a small crater. His Chakra Pack was destroyed as a result and he was knocked out. And wouldn't be getting up anytime soon while the two Narutos landed on the ground, slapping each other a high five.

"Doton: Meido no Gousunkugi!"

"Suiton: Supaikukansei no Jutsu!"

"Hyouton: Hyougako Kasui!"

Naruto looked back to see a large trail of earth, water and ice spikes exploding from the snow-covered ground right towards the Narutos. The clone with Naruto was destroyed as the original jumped backwards. "Lame! You three are just using the same move, but with different elements!"

The three Snow Ninja ignored him as the ice spikes came dangerously close to Naruto, since the earth and water spikes were corralling him in. That's when Sasuke came zipping by right towards his blond-haired teammate. Naruto jumped into the air as he landed on Sasuke's outstretched leg. The Uchiha then kicked the Uzumaki away from the ice spikes as Sasuke formed the Gouka Tenohira. Sasuke gave a loud yell as he slammed his fire attack into the incoming ice spikes, blasting them all and melting them into small pools of water.

As for Naruto, he was about to hit the ground when the earth spikes suddenly changed direction to impale him once again. He knew what to expect and sure enough, his second teammate ran over. With her wearing her rock gloves, she held up her arms and Naruto grabbed them. Sakura whirled around and threw Naruto another direction out of danger before she turned her attention to the incoming earth spikes. She gave her own loud cry as she began systemically punching and destroying each and every earth spike that came out at her.

The remaining water style spikes kept on coming as they snaked around, aiming for Sasuke's blindside. The Uchiha didn't notice, and if he had, he wouldn't have worried. With a few seconds to spare, Naruto landed right beside the Uchiha, a Kaze Kiwa on both arms as he pierced the water spikes with his dual Wind Edges.

With all the spikes destroyed, Team 7 could finally turn around and get a good look at the three Snow Ninja that attacked them this time. The three individuals were doing a series of flamboyant flips as they came right up to the three Leaf Genin. All three of them looked virtually identical, with the same height, same age, dress style, and facial features. Even the way they moved was in perfect harmony. One landed right on the ground while the second landed on his shoulders and then the third on the second man's shoulders. "The Three Mitsugo Brothers Grand Entrance!" all three of them shouted together in a melodramatic type of voice, like they were world-class performers greeting their most adoring fans.

So when Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke just stared at them, wondering if they were high or something, all three of the Brothers just slouched in a melodramatic gasp and facevault. _Are these nitwits really that delusional or are they this stupid naturally? _

"We will show you why the Mitsugo Cousins are Supreme!!" the three male Snow Chunin roared, quickly recovering from their hit of depression. Chakra glowed on their feet, allowing them to latch to each other's shoulders without having to hold on and leaving their arms free.

Wasn't it _brothers_ last time?

"Let's show these Leaf wimps what we're made of!" the one on the top, Jim, cried down to the two below him. "Right Tim, Sim?!"

The one in the middle, Tim, gave a vicious nod as he gave two thumbs up. The one of the bottom, Sim, just shook his head. "No!"

"No!?" the other two repeated, over-exaggerated horror on their faces.

"I'm hurt! I'm in pain!" Sim yelled, large waterfalls of tears pouring out from his eyes. "ITHURTSITHURTSITHURTS!!!"

"Then let us take out your pain on the Konoha ninja!" the other two Mitsugos said together as all three of them formed 10 seals. "Hyouton: Buki Kawaru no Jutsu!"

Ice began forming around their hands into the shapes of weapons. Two Ice Axes appeared on Sim's hands, two Ice Lances for Tim and two Ice Crossbows for Jim. "Mitsugo Ryuugi: Tootemupooru Zansatsu!"

With that, the Human Totem Pole charged at the three Leaf genin, Sim's axes and Tim's lances swinging madly while Jim fired volley after volley of ice arrows from his crossbows, using moisture in the air to reload after each shot. The shots were fired at Sasuke and forced him to back off, while the lances were aimed at Naruto and the axes at Sakura. This went on for a few minutes, before Sakura jumped in front of Naruto to cover him while he performed the seals for his Raiden.

Once the blinding flash and thunderous noise hit, Sasuke formed a series of Faiatamas in his hands and sent them flying at the human totem pole, aiming for the supporting one on the ground. _I'll give you some pain to complain about. _The fireballs struck several times, causing the Totem Pole to falter slightly while Naruto formed his Kaze Tate yet again. The wind both blew the trio off balance and propelled Sakura at an incredibly fast pace to knock the top guy's block off.

Except at the last possible second, the man just jumped off Tim's shoulders into the air, making Sakura miss her target completely. To the girl's horror, she saw Jim's Ice Crossbows change into Ice Whips as they wrapped around her arms and legs, and then hurled her through the air.

At the same time, the other two went flying through the air, moving into backflips to control themselves. Tim's ice lances shifted into dozens of shuriken apiece as they all fired at Sasuke. Once the barrage was done, he reached out and grabbed Sim, hurling him back to his original spot right by Naruto. Sim's ice weapons shifted from Axes to very large Hammers that slammed into the blond boy before he could react.

Jim's Ice Whips flung downward and Tim grabbed them. Using both his strength and chakra, he hurled the middle man back towards Sim, while Tim held on to Jim's Ice whips hard, allowing Jim to head back with Tim. Tim landed back on Sim's shoulders while he pulled the ice whips and allowed Jim to land back on Sim's shoulders. At the same moment, both Naruto and Sakura collided into Sasuke and all three of them hit the ground in a heap, right as the ice shuriken barrage hit them.

Back in their starting position, the three of them gave a bow. "Thank you! Thank you! But please hold your photography and applause until the show is over!"

They thought the Raiden was photography and applause!? _THAT'S _why they weren't affected!?!

"Someone tell me how we got outsmarted and creamed by those three bozos," Sasuke said from his position. Both Sakura and Naruto were on top of him and all of them now had various cuts and injuries from the collisions and the shuriken. Nothing overly bad, as they had managed to avoid being hit in any vital or critical areas, even with the collision mess. Still... they were sore, bleeding and starting to get tired from all this fighting. Not to mention a deep hit to each of their prides.

"I'll tell you after I rip them apart," Naruto replied, massaging his head. Those ice hammers hurt like hell, as his head, chest and rib cage were throbbing like mad.

"So stop complaining and let's kick their asses," Sakura uttered from her position.

"Doton: Daichiago no Jutsu!"

All three looked to see two slabs of earth with razor sharp spikes that looked like jaws forming on either side of them. All three Leaf shinobi quickly rolled or jumped to the side as the earth jaws slammed together with a _'wham'_, narrowly missing the three.

"_I'mstillinpain!"_ they all heard Sim yell yet again "Painpainpainpainpainpainpain!!"

"HORRORS BEYOND HORRORS!!!" the other two exclaimed, looking utterly distraught by the very notion. "LET'S SHOW THEM OUR ULTIMATE MOVE!!! THAT'LL CHEER YOU UP!!" At that, Jim and Tim jumped off of Sim as they both landed on either side of him. As one, all three made a strange seal. "Hijutsu: Kuroonningen no Jutsu!"

One clone of each of the Mitsugos appeared as a result. _Isn't that just the Kage Bunshin? _Naruto wondered as they watched four of the Mitsugos jump into the air. A Jim and Sim stood on the ground as the second Sim landed on their shoulders. That Sim reached out and grabbed both Tims, holding one by the hands and the other by the legs. The final Jim landed on the middle Sim's shoulders, making the entire act vaguely resemble a humanoid figure. As one, they all gave a small battlecry as the figure's 'arms' gave moved up and bent, making a little dorky pose from the 'giant'. "Mitsugo Best Friends! Mitsugo Ryuugi: Ninja Docking 6 Behemoth Complete!" the six figures cried out.

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke just facevaulted right there. What the hell!?! Were these three just mocking them!?!

"I've had it!!" both Sakura and Sasuke screamed together. They were going to knock these freaks out all the way to Sand!!! With that, they both took off running towards the so-called "Behemoth" with Naruto just a second behind them. Sakura went to the right, while Sasuke went to the left and Naruto aimed for the 'stomach' area.

In response, the Behemoth swung its 'arms' at them. The left arm came around, with the Jim kicking rapidly at the pink-haired girl, who was barely able to block before being kicked in the chin.

Likewise, the 'right arm' intercepted Sasuke, with that Jim punching rapidly at the Uchiha. Thanks to his Sharingan, he kept up well enough until the 'head' of the Behemoth formed two Ice Crossbows again and rained ice arrows down on Sasuke. Sasuke pivoted on his foot and avoided the barrage, but it was enough of an opening for the 'arm' to land a solid right cross on Sasuke's face.

Naruto himself used the opportunity to attack the 'torso' while his two teammates were occupying the thing's arms. Sim created two Ice Sabers in response and attempted to slice Naruto, who pulled out two kunai and blocked the two swords. He was about to slam his foot into the man's face when ice arrows fired down on him, forcing Naruto to back off. By this moment, both of the Behemoth's 'arms' were free as they came forward and grabbed Naruto, bringing him up to the head, where the Tim punched Naruto in the face hard. The Behemoth's equivalent of a head bunt.

A second later, Naruto hit the ground next to his two teammates again as the Mitsugos all cheered, making the Behemoth flex in another dorky pose. Without a word, they all got back to their feet, rage boiling to their peaks. Not once, but _twice_ now these lame brains had gotten the better of them!

"WOW!!" The two Tims and Jims cried out impressed, while the two Sims started their pain ranting again. "You three really are tough! Let's show you our Super Special Awesome Move! Behiimosu Gufuu!"

At that, the Tim and Sim 'legs' began spinning the 'torso' Sim around and around. They kept on going faster and faster until the entire middle portion was spinning around like a top.

Team 7 just stood there watching as the remaining Naruto clones (with the exception of the one guarding Koyuki) walked up behind them. Immediately, Sasuke rushed forward at the Behemoth, while Sakura jumped backwards, her hands flying. The Narutos all charged as one as they went right towards the whirling Behemoth. Naruto himself ran forward right into the heart of it before one of the arms slammed into him. Immediately, all his clones were right behind him, bracing him against the impact.

All six of the Mitsugo's faces dropped as a result. Immediately, Sasuke slid on the ground underneath the 'Behemoth' as Sakura finished her seals and formed her Water Whip. The whip lashed out, longer than ever, and began wrapping around all over the Behemoth, locking the six men's arms and legs in place. There would be no coming apart to dodge this time around.

Sasuke finished sliding and backflipped to his feet, firing a series of Faiatamas. Each one struck the Mitsugos' chakra packs and caused them to explode. They all gave a shriek as they began struggling against Sakura's Water Whip. Quickly, the Naruto clones broke off what they were doing, many of them jumping on the Behemoth and continuing to hold them in place, while two Narutos ran back to Sakura. She held out her free hand and a Naruto jumped on top of it right as Sakura hurled the Naruto into the air, then the second one right after.

The Uchiha was now back in front of the Behemoth, his katana back in his hand as he began spinning it around furiously in one hand, building circulation for his next move. His eyes widened as he sprang into action, slamming the back of the blade into the stomachs of each of the brothers, knocking the wind out of them.

In the air, the first Naruto reached out and grabbed hold of the second one. That Naruto drew his arm back and hurled the second one and the original right towards the 'head' of the Behemoth, his fists cocked and ready. The Tim just managed to look up in time right before both of Naruto's fists slammed hard into his face. At that instant, both Sakura and the Kage Bunshins released their holds as the six human Behemoth collapsed in on itself and crashed into the ground with a loud _bam_, dispersing the three clones as they did. The damage each of the clones had taken transferred to the originals, making them all ache that much worse.

"... pain..." Sim whined yet again. Both Tim and Jim just looked at him, both in disbelief. "What. Is. Wrong?" they both asked finally. They were sore and bashed in now, so what was the source of Sim's great pain that had been bothering him all this time?

"My Chakra Pack was on too tight!!" Sim yelled loudly, as though his injuries weren't hurting him, but the ache from the Chakra Pack hurt him more than all the other injuries combined. Though... seeing how the Chakra Pack was gone, who knew how it was still hurting him now...

Some things are best left unsaid.

At that, the remaining Snow Ninja, about forty of them remaining with many bearing their own share of lumps, bruises and injuries, all charged forward en masse toward the Leaf ninja (trampling over the three fallen Mitsugo Brothers as a result), many of them forming seals before shouting. "Hyouton: Nigenteki Sai Abaremawaru no Jutsu!"

Ice swirled once again, forming dozens of rhino figures that all charged in a large stampede towards Team 7. In response, Sasuke formed the seals again and flew out the Karyuu Kyuuzou right at the rampaging rhinos right in front of them. The fire dragon struck on and exploded... leaving no damage whatsoever.

_Dammit!! _Sasuke shouted, realizing he and the other two were panting hard. _I'm getting too tired! Our jutsu are losing their power! Not yet! Not yet! _

The rhinos continued charging with the three Genin waiting until the last moment before they (and even Naruto's few remaining clones) jumped into the air, landing on top of one of the rhinos before hopping over to the next one and then the next like some bizarre game of hopscotch. The remaining figures hopped off the last of the rhinos as four enemy shinobi appeared. "Shuriken Burizaado!"

Snowflakes in the air began to harden, enlarge and become sharp as nearly a hundred of them shot towards the three members of Team 7. Once again, Naruto formed the Doryuuheki, blocking the shuriken blizzard. Once the barrage was over, both Naruto and Sasuke charged forward into the coming Snow Ninja, while Sakura began scanning over the crowd, looking for any member that was on their last legs. They needed to really start whittling the enemy's numbers and the weaker ones would be easiest to take out.

The choice was made for her as another shinobi appeared over her, a metal staff in the woman's hands. What caught Sakura's attention was the rapidly spinning air around the tip of it, much like Naruto's Kaze Kiwa. She quickly jumped to the side, getting as much space as she could between them while throwing kunai and shuriken to cover herself. The snow kunoichi whirled her metal staff around in response, deflecting each of the weapons with ease. At the opposite end, wind began swirling around like a compressed air ball, which the Yuki-nin hurled at Sakura, hitting her right in the gut. The girl gave a scream as she was thrown backwards, slamming into a tree, her head flinging back as she gave a cry. _Damn... that hurt! _She looked at her opponent as best she could, trying to ignore the pounding of her head and stomach. _She's using wind so naturally... so smoothly... and without seals... how!?_

At that the woman took a stance, looking much like a pool player with a pool cue, launching many more air balls at Sakura, who had no intention of being of being hit again as she slammed the first air ball away with her fist, before proceeding to do the same with the others. Her fists stung badly from each hit, but better that than being hit again!

Each air ball she hit was sent flying back right at the woman, who stabbed her staff into the ground and wind burst all around, deflecting the air balls in all directions. The snow kunoichi noticed what was happening and only frowned. "Fine. Been wanting to try out the Multi-Staff for awhile now."

_Multi-Staff? _the girl repeated in her mind.

In response, the woman held up her Multi-Staff thing above her head parallel to the ground as she began twirling it as fast as she could and Sakura found herself being pulled right towards the shinobi. _It's like Naruto's Kaze Wana! A vortex that sucks in everything around it! _She was now flying right toward the Snow Shinobi as the woman brought her staff down and around, slamming it into Sakura's back. Another cry escaped the girl as she felt something strike her left arm before she went tumbling across the snow-covered ground.

Sakura lay on the ground for a time, not moving. All she could do was just feel the pain coursing through her body, much like the time with Mizore. _Not... again... _she willed herself, climbing back to all fours, then onto her feet. _All this pain... just tells me... I'm still alive... _She then got glimpse of her left arm, which had a large silver bracelet on it.

That must had been what she felt from that strike on her left arm; this bracelet being put on. But what was it!? By this time, the young woman had been heading back to where Sasuke and Naruto were fighting, only to see a panting Sakura back on her feet.

"I hit you with enough force to knock you out," the kunoichi, Chiru, spoke, frustration clear in her voice. "_Why are you still standing?!"_

_If I survive this... I'm going to have to push myself harder... just like Naruto... and... Sasuke... do... and become stronger... _A faint smile appeared on her face. Maybe she really should find a rival. It would be an excellent motivator....

Chiru held up her staff. "Fine then. If that move didn't do the job, then I'll just have to use lethal force this time." She preferred not to kill her fellow women, but if that's what she had to do, then so be it. Pity, though; she hated depriving a woman the chance to be a mother. It was the most wondrous thing for a woman to do: to give birth, create life and nurture that new life into being. And she was the proud mother of four.

Sakura merely took a deep breath and held up a fist in the woman's direction.

"I don't think a fist is going to help you survive this," Chiru stated.

"That's fine... I won't need it."

"So you're ready to die. I'll make it as quick as possible."

With that, she held up her Multi-Staff over her head again and began twirling it. Sakura found herself flying towards the older woman once more, though this time her hands were forming a series of seals. Chiru didn't know what sort of jutsu the girl was preparing, but she was going to strike hard and fast enough so the girl didn't get a chance to use it. When the girl was right on top of her, the girl's mouth opened up and mud spat out, hitting Chiru right in the eyes.

The woman gave a yell, stopping her staff from spinning as her hands came up in an attempt to wipe the mud off her face. 'Attempt' ending up being the key word because Sakura wasn't about to give the woman a chance to recover as she slammed her fist into the woman's stomach over and over, then gave a powerful uppercut to the kunoichi's jaw, the Multi-Staff flying out of her hands. Sakura kicked the woman in the chest, forcing her off balance completely as the pink-haired girl got around the woman and destroyed the chakra pack with a punch before grabbing Chiro's head and thrusting her down on the ground hard. And here she was thinking her contingency plan had been for nothing.

As for Sasuke, he was ducking underneath a Snow Ninja's kick. He grabbed the man's leg, spun and flung him into an incoming ninja. Sasuke turned around just in time to see a man running towards him. Looking closely, he clearly saw the man's hands flying through the seals: Ne, Ushi, Tatsu, Tori, Uma, Tora, Ushi, Tori, Tatsu, Tora.

Immediately a huge zanbato made of fire appeared in the man's hands. Sasuke looked at his katana in his hand and let it fall to the ground. No way was that going to help against this jutsu. As the man began attacking, the Uchiha found himself backed off more and more simply because he had no means of blocking this jutsu. _I have to conserve what chakra I have left... I have to be careful on how many more big attacks I use. _

"Fuuton: Gouzen Kuma Tekken no Jutsu!"

"Ninpou: Hibiki no Jutsu!"

Sasuke looked over his shoulder to see a wind bear fist coming at him, while another shinobi seemed to be screeching at him, circular sound waves launching from his throat. Without a moment's hesitation, Sasuke took off running towards the Wind user as he avoided another strike from the fire zanbato. He ran directly towards the Wind Ninja, dodging a punch by flipping over the man and planting both feet firmly on the man's back, plowing him directly into his comrade's ninja Echo Blast. The second Sasuke's feet touched the ground, he threw a bunch of kunai and shuriken at the Katon user.

The Snow ninja blocked Sasuke's attack with his weapon of fire, only then seeing the exploding notes attached to the kunai. While not near enough to destroy, let alone damage his Katon jutsu, it was more than enough to impede the man's sight.

And the Uchiha genin used that instant to get behind the man and kick him in the back of the head... only for the man to explode in a puff of smoke. _KAGE BUNSHIN!? _Sasuke screamed mentally, immediately beginning to look for his opponent. _You mean to tell me that this entire time I was fighting some stupid clone and not the ninja himself?! Well, where the fuck is the real one then!?_

As if to answer him, the said man emerged from the ground, his fist slamming into Sasuke's jaw as he slapped something on Sasuke's right arm. Sasuke glared daggers at the man before slamming his foot into the man's stomach, then wheeling his leg around and kicking the Snow Ninja in the chest, right into the Echo Blast user before Sasuke fell flat on his back from the hit. He was going to feel _that _in the morning...

Naruto, meanwhile, was currently being attacked by the majority of the Snow Ninja, who seemed to be changing their strategy. Rather than take on all three of the genin at once, a few were stalling the other two while everyone else was ganging up on Naruto and trying to take him out of the fight permanently. He dodged one Shinobi, grabbed his arm and snapped it. He then punched the man away before jumping high into the air to avoid some type of lightning jutsu. Four Snow Ninja came underneath him, shoving their weapons upward to skewer him as he fell down.

That certainly wouldn't do as Naruto activated the Kaze Wana, sucking the four Ninja off their feet right towards him. Once they were close, he shut off his jutsu and began flinging them at their fellows, the four Snow shinobi slamming into their comrades before they knew what hit them. Naruto landed just in time to hear a shout of "Aisu Toku!" from a Snow Ninja named Tettsui.

A large rectangular ice block appeared on the man's forearms and shins as he looked at Naruto in a calm and clear manner, muttering something along the lines of 'Moushin Hanmaa' as he charged Naruto right there, madly swinging his Ice Shields around in an attempt to smack the boy. Naruto himself was just running backwards as much as he could, taking all his efforts to not get hit by the things. But this maniac was moving so fast and recklessly, Naruto couldn't see an opening to strike back. And due to many of the ice moves freezing the people in his path, he was taking no chances in letting the damn things touch him!

That's when he caught a familiar sniff behind him, and had it been anyone else, they would have missed it. But Tettsui was a very keen observer, able to gauge his opponent's reactions and gestures from facial and body expressions, much like the Hyuuga clan could with their Byakugan. Though he didn't need any bloodline to do it himself, thank you very much!

Acting on the boy's unguarded moment, Tettsui repositioned his right forearm Ice Shield, reflecting the sun and flashing it right in the boy's single open eye. The young genin gave a scream as his hands flew to his eye in an attempt to block out the pain. Now having his perfect opening, Tettsui leapt forward to use his Kakkeigyuutou move.

And that's when Naruto ducked at the last second, causing Tettsui's Ice Shields to slam against Kakeru's head. The young snow boy had managed to get back up despite the strike to his chest earlier in the fight in an attempt to give the blond bastard some serious payback!

Only to end up taking a hit meant for Naruto, thanks to Naruto's enhanced sense of smell, allowing him to dodge both Tettsui and Kakeru despite being blinded. How was that for irony?

At the sight, Tettsui's face fell in horror. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean - !" He never got the chance to finish as Naruto leapt forward, following the sound of the man's voice and slamming a right punch into the man's face. Naruto's hand then glided downward and grabbed the man's shoulder in a solid grip, while his left hand was flying through the seals of the Kaze Kiwa before driving this one into Tettsui's chest before he could react.

Tettsui hit the ground and went rolling across it as Naruto found himself opening his eye. "That freakin' wasn't fun," he said to no one in particular as his left hand came up to give his good eye one final rub… only to find a silver bracelet slapped on his arm. Kakeru must have put this thing on him while he dodged the other guy's attack! Just what the hell was this thing!?

"Preparations complete!!!" Naruto heard one of the Yuki-nin call out as several appeared around the three genin, picking up their comrades and pulling out of the immediate fighting area while a single large and towering Yuki Shinobi stepped forward. On his back was a device much like the Shuriken Rapid Throwers, only with two launchers over his shoulders as opposed to four. The thing was easily four times the size of the Shuriken version and something only the strong and sturdy could wield. Another Snow ninja came forward and took a scroll from the man's waist, bit his thumb and slammed it on the paper.

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were taking this moment to regroup while Naruto's few remaining shadow clones backed off around Princess Koyuki, just in case some trick was going to happen. The three Leaf ninja were using this opportunity to catch their breath, and in Sakura and Sasuke's cases, ease the pain they were feeling.

What was summoned from the scroll were two folded up fuuma shuriken as they were loaded on top of the launchers. The man gave a joyous laugh as the launcher fired the two fuuma shuriken, the weapons unfolding themselves as they zipped through the air. A nauseating buzzing sound radiated from the ninja projectiles

"Oh please," Naruto said, sounding incredibly bored as he merely shifted his position a few inches, allowing the fuuma shuriken to pass him by completely. "Can't you at least try and be..."

He never got the chance to finish because Sakura came right up to him and slammed him down on the ground, right as the same fuuma shuriken passed right over him. Naruto watched in disbelief as the things arced in midair and came right back at them. _No fucking way! They're _homing _shuriken! That's fucking fantastic!!!_

"Load! Fire! Load! Fire! Load! Fire! Load! Fire! Load! Fire! Load! Fire!" the Snow Ninja ranted as the other snow ninja kept on summoning more and more fuuma shuriken, loading them into the launcher and then firing on the three Leaf genin. Nearly as many fuuma shuriken were now filling the air as they soared after the three members of Team 7. Sasuke was using his enhanced eyes as best he could to avoid many of the things as they swarmed on him, while Naruto and Sakura were ducking and dodging themselves as the flying shuriken came after them as well.

"To hell with this!" Sakura yelled, enraged as she backflipped over another one. She eyed one going at her, her fist cocked and ready as she swung her arm back, ready to smash the thing into pieces too small to see.

"DON'T TOUCH IT!!!" Sasuke yelled as Sakura attempted to punch the incoming weapon. Sakura jerked in surprise as she tried to stop herself, but was far too late. As a result, Naruto threw a kunai (handle first) at his female teammate, hitting her right leg. This caused her to jerk backwards and fall to the ground. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to completely miss the flying weapon as it slashed her arm. The girl gave a scream as she clamped her other hand on the wound. It felt like the wound was on fire!

Both the Uzumaki and the Haruno took a closer look at the fuuma shuriken and realized that it was glowing a faint red. Very easy to miss if you weren't looking for it. The thing was generating heat, much like a fire jutsu, making it all the more deadly.

"It's all these blasted things!" Sasuke yelled, jumping onto a one-handed handstand to avoid three coming at him, then lunging and flipping through the air as he formed two Faiatama and fired them at two of the large shuriken. He missed the first one, but hit the second one dead-on, destroying it as he landed back on his feet. "Some of them burn! Others electrocute you! Some are razor sharp and some even – "

One went right towards Naruto and Sakura and exploded violently near them, propelling them through the air before falling on their heads.

" – explode on you," Sasuke finished.

"TELL US THAT PART _FIRST!!!_" Sakura and Naruto yelled

The buzzing sound of the Fuuma shuriken returned the three to reality as the weapons came at them again. Sasuke returned to blasting those he could, Naruto helping him with his Kunai Soufuu Atsu, managing to blast another before nearly seven came at him and forced him back on the defensive. Out of the corner of his sole working eye, he saw Sakura down on one knee before another fuuma shuriken came along after her.

In a heartbeat, Naruto was right next to her, the Wind Shield springing to life around both of them. There were still nearly thirty fuuma shuriken flying in the air. About half of them bashed against Naruto's Kaze Tate, ricocheted off, then came right back. Sasuke had also given up on trying to destroy the damn things as he was using all his energy just to avoid them, even with his Sharingan on.

"Try all you want!" the large Snow Ninja yelled as the rest of the Snow Ninja were now relaxing and enjoying the show. "But those fuuma shuriken are _attracted _to your _magnetic _personalities! They'll never stop before you three punks do!" At that, he began chuckling loudly. Nothing like watching people struggling for survival! It was quite entertaining!!

"You're next on my list to take down!" Naruto shouted at the mocking man. "So just you wait until we smash your little toys!!"

"Yeah right! You three are about to collapse and you all know it!"

As Naruto and the man traded insults and banter, Sakura was looking at the swarming blades, her mind working as fast as it could while she was safe behind Naruto's wind barrier. Her gaze fell upon the bracelets all three of them now wore. It was a thick silver bracelet with a large flower design on it. One side of it was a long thin line, the part where the bracelet opened and closed. Yet strangely... there didn't seem to be any sort of locking mechanism on it that she could see. Nothing holding the two ends together, even though it was clearly stuck on tight! It also seemed to be giving off a subtle chakra signature. That's when she started slamming her fist against the bracelet on her arm.

"What are you doing!?" the scarred boy demanded, hopping from one foot, then backflipping yet again as one of the fuuma shuriken cut across his back, his cloak taking the worst of it.

"It's these damn bracelets!" Sakura roared back, causing both Naruto and the Fuuma Shuriken User to stop and look at her as her fist continued to hammer on the bracelet. She took out a kunai and jabbed it into the locked part, trying to pry it open. "They're emitting a small chakra signal! Those shuriken are homing in on us because of these stupid things!"

Sasuke and Naruto wanted to hit themselves. Duh! Why didn't they figure that out!? It was so obvious! Naruto was too busy maintaining his wind shield, while Sasuke was struggling to just stay in one piece. Still, he used his free hand and tried to smash the thing off.

The female on their team kept trying to get hers off while Naruto protected the two of them. This thing was made out some kind of strong material and she had to be careful on how to get it off. What puzzled her the most was how the thing was locked.

'_But those fuuma shuriken are _attracted_ to your _magnetic_ personalities!'_

The girl froze on the spot, looking back at the bracelet in disbelief. Could that really be it? Was the bracelet really locked by a powerful magnet of all things!?

Her question, interestingly enough, was answered by Sasuke at that exact same moment. Once again, he formed the Chidori and divided its power between his hands. His left hand slashed down the opening on the bracelet attached to his right arm and the thing blew up and fell on the ground. Half surprised and half excited, Sasuke didn't waste any time in kicking the thing as far as he could. As expected, many of the flying shuriken followed the bracelet, until about seven slammed into it, one of them exploding and taking out the rest.

"That's it!" Sakura yelled, grabbing both boys' attentions. "The bracelets are magnetized! That's how it's clamped on our wrists!" Sasuke's electric jutsu must have depolarized the magnets, making them repel each other as opposed to attract. Or maybe it was the chakra in his jutsu that messed with the magnets and made them. Whatever it was, they now had a way to get the bracelets off!!

Of course, the Snow Ninja had no intention of letting Sasuke help his teammates. So Sasuke took a deep breath and blew out a dense smokescreen, putting as much energy into it as he could so that it covered a fairly large area while Naruto shut down his wind shield. The Snow Ninja began blasting randomly into the smoke cover, trying to hit the Uchiha before he could free his two teammates. An instant later, the remaining two bracelets shot through the air right at the Snow Ninja group, all the fuuma shuriken following them. The Snow shinobi quickly began to repel and destroy the bracelets and fuuma shuriken as Sasuke smirked at his teammates, the smokescreen fading around them. "I..."

He never got the next words out of his mouth as both Sakura and Naruto punched him in the face, sending him crashing to the ground. The action surprised not only Sasuke, but the Yuki-nin as well. What the crap!?

"Look at what you did, asshole!!!" the two shouted at him. Sakura's hair was standing on end in a bizarre pink-like afro, while Naruto was twitching uncontrollably like he had grabbed an electric fence and had the electricity surging through his body.

Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger as he leapt to his feet and gazed down on his so-called 'friends'. "_That's _the thanks I get for helping you two out!?" And they called _him_ an ungrateful jerk!

"You didn't have to frizz up my hair like this! You have any idea how long it'll take me to fix!?"

"You did this on purpose just to look cool, dickweed! And don't use my jutsu!"

"I got the cursed Bracelets of Death off you two and the first thing you both do is _complain_!? Would you rather I left the damn things on and let you two help yourselves, you bitching whiners?!!"

"How come it didn't happen to you!?"

"Yeah, Kizuato! You're perfectly fine without any stupid electromagnetic cling or any side effect!"

"Well, _EXCUSE ME _for being more concerned with getting the bracelets off instead of minor details like that! How was I supposed to know this would happen!?"

"You just did it to yourself! Of course you knew what would happen!"

"Exactly! You should have known full well what would happen, jackass!!"

"Fine! See if I ever help you guys again, you _ungrateful little jerks!"_

The Snow Ninja's heads were batting back and forth between the three arguing Genin. Truly, it was hard to believe these three just started arguing with themselves over a minor accident like this. Were they a unified team or just a bunch of spoiled brats?

"ARGH!!!" All their heads turned to their own ranks to see one of their younger members swinging his arms around in frustration. "HOW DARE THEY IGNORE THE SELF-PROCLAIMED PRINCE OF SNOW!!! JUST WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE!?!"

_Why are you taking it so personally? _the men wondered. The women just rolled their eyes, knowing Yashinka was annoyed because he felt Sakura was hitting on one of the boys and not him.

Giving another cry, Yashinka charged the three bickering Leaf ninja. Specifically in Sakura's direction, determined to get them to stop ignoring him and for the girl to go out with him... only for Sakura to throw her fist backwards without looking right into the charging Snow Chunin's face, sending him flying back to his fellow countrymen. The remaining ninja just looked down at the ground in unison, where the boy's face now sported a large fist imprint, his eyes swirling.

"WE'RE ARGUING HERE!!!" the One-eyed Boy, Pink-Haired Girl and Scarred Face Boy yelled simultaneously in the enemy Shinobi's direction. "STAY OUT OF IT!!!"

All the Yuki-nin just sweatdropped at the proclamation as the three youths went back to arguing, just like that. Though now it was more throwing insults at each other than any actual banter...

"... why are we just standing here?" one asked after a few minutes of watching the kids scream at the top of their lungs at one another.

"... I have no idea..." another answered.

"WHAT ARE YOU IDIOTS WAITING FOR!?!" It was Doto himself this time, still standing atop of his train as he pointed at the three opponents. "GET THEM! GET THEM! GET THEM! GET THEM! GET THEM! GET THEM! ESPECIALLY THE SHORT STUPID ONE!!!"

"You heard the boss man," a different shinobi spoke up this time as he and six others ran towards Team 7, all preparing a jutsu. Two Tiger Missiles, one Dragon Bullet, one Eagle Missile, one Dual Rhino Rampage and one Pride of Lions. The small zoo stampeded towards the trio of Konoha genin as they managed to leap out of the way and avoid the attacks. The three of them took off running, completely bypassing the seven shinobi that just attacked and making a beeline for the ninja with the fuuma shuriken launcher.

At that, the man moved backwards to gain ground while the other ninja came to his aid. Three stood in front of him as the first cried out "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

The second one shouted "Raiton: Piasshingu Denkou no Jutsu!"

"Fuuton: Reppushou!" the third one hollered.

The Katon user blew out the Grand Fireball while his comrade's right hand began crackling with a lightning orb in his hand. He hurled the Raiton attack right into the fireball, making the two merge in a furious attack as lightning and fire both merged and rejected each other, creating a ticking time bomb ready to explode with deadly results. With the third user adding wind to inflame the fire portion as well as increase the speed of the attack, its deadliness became all the more so.

Sasuke and Naruto's eyes narrowed as they performed the Goukakyuu and Kunai Soufuu Atsu together for the Baaningu Soufuu Atsu, forming a spiraling fireball right at the other combo. The two attacks clashed right into each other, resulting in a massive explosion in the middle of the field, clearing snow off the ground and making not just the combatants, but also the observers feel the heat and wind from the blast.

As the explosion died down, Sakura came flying through the fiery maelstrom, using her cloak to protect her from the remaining blast as she converged right on the fuuma shuriken-using Shinobi, her fist striking him across the face. The man, however, didn't react to the strike as he grabbed her fist and smacked her across the face, sending her to the ground, but not before Sakura planted an exploding tag on his launcher, much like Naruto had earlier. The ninja noticed this as well as he quickly discarded the tech, hurling it into the air where it exploded harmlessly while Sakura backtracked to her two teammates. That same man gave a growl with a look of fury at the loss of his high-tech toy as he formed his own seals and slammed his hands on the ground. "Hyouton: Aisu Jaianto no Jutsu!"

Ice crystals began forming from the ground and converged on each other, piling up higher and higher into a rough outline of a humanoid figure. More and more ice formed, resulting in legs, arms and a head, all in a rough stature of a samurai armor and helmet on this Ice Giant.

The three shinobi looked up at it. "Well... shit..." they said as one.

The Shinobi who performed the jutsu took a step forward, resulting in the ice giant doing the same. Both made a punching motion to the ground as the ice giant's fist slammed into the ground right at Team 7, barely missing them. Sasuke and Sakura backed off, readying a Katon and kunai while Naruto merely stood his ground, a broad and proud smirk on his face before proceeding to bite his thumb. _Let's see how big of one I can get this time! _"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he yelled, putting a ton of chakra into this, slamming his hand on the ground as a large amount of white smoke erupted around him.

This time the Snow Ninja's heads jerked upwards as Naruto seemingly began rising higher and higher into the air, meeting the ice giant's height, then surpassing it as he continued going higher and higher until he was twice as high as the ice manufactured warrior. The smoke around him then cleared, revealing a large brown frog wearing a blue jacket with a pipe in its mouth and a scar over it's left eye, with a large dosu at its side. Many of the Snow Shinobi recognized the creature, even if they didn't believe their eyes.

This was Gamabunta, the Frog Boss of all the Toad summons, a creature of legend! They had all heard the stories of this amazingly powerful summon! It was said that it had aided the Fourth Hokage in the Kyuubi's attack on the Hidden Leaf Village almost 13 years ago! But... only immensely powerful shinobi like the Yondaime or Jiraiya of the Sannin should be able to summon this beast! Kiganai accidentally bit his tongue in surprise, while Kiou flat out shrieked. Ikou, on the other hand, seemed a bit relieved. After seeing all the stunts this boy had done so far with this on top, losing to him didn't seem nearly as bad.

Even though he was still a pervert.

In the hills, both Taigi and Homare were also quite shocked by this display. The kid summoned a boss level summon!? Impossible! Homare looked at his teammate. "So, still think you can get your revenge when the Uchiha's got a friend like that?"

Taigi made no reply.

For once, Makino looked genuinely stunned by this action, too much to even praise it as his mouth fell open and his pipe fell to the ground. Kaijo, Michy, Ken, and Hidero's eyes all bulged outward as their jaws hit the ground. Even Koyuki was stunned. Though she didn't understand even half of the significance of this feat, seeing a frog the size of a small mountain would definitely surprise people!

Who. WAS. This. _KID!?!_

It wasn't just the snow shinobi and movie crew gawking at the large summoning creature. Sakura and Sasuke were probably the most shocked. Naruto could do something like this!? Since when!? Jiraiya had been the one who summoned Gamabunta during the attack on Konoha after all!

"It's _COLD!!!" _the large frog bellowed loudly, breaking the stunned silence. Everyone watched as the summon grabbed its jacket in a vain attempt to warm itself. "_COLDCOLDCOLDCOLDCOLD__**COLD**__!!! _JIRAIYA!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!!? HOW DARE YOU SUMMON ME TO THIS FROZEN HELLHOLE!!!"

On top of the frog's head, Naruto gave a nervous gulp. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea... not only did this cost far more chakra than he thought it would as he felt like his entire body was lead and exhausted, but this frog didn't sound very happy at all and Naruto had no intention of letting it take its anger out on him!

At that, Naruto quietly began moving backwards on its head before the frog's eyes jerked upwards. "WHO'S UP THERE!!!?" he roared, tilting his head downward and violently throwing it up, sending Naruto flying through the air screaming as a result. As Naruto fell back down, the frog's tongue lashed out and wrapped around the boy, holding him to eye level. "Who the hell are you!?" Gamabunta demanded at a more normal tone despite his shivering. "Where's that damned pervert anyway!?"

"U-um... we-well... that's... um... t-t-that's... a-a-a-a funny... story... y-you see... I-I-I'm the one... that... s-summoned... you..."

The frog must have been stunned because he didn't reply quickly. Then he began laughing his heart out in Naruto's face. "You shouldn't lie, punk!! There's no way in hell a little shrimp like you could summon me!!"

Naruto felt anger replacing the fear within and that anger grew! Mock him, would he!? "SHUT THE HELL UP!!" the blond Jinchuuriki shouted at the frog, causing the frog to shop in mid laugh. "You piece of toad shit!! I'm the one who summoned you, so _I'm your MASTER!! _Got that, you stupid frog shit!!?"

Veins began emerging on the frog's face as the summon began growling. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to!? Some little brat saying he's the master of the Frog Boss, Gamabunta!? AND YOU DARE SUMMON ME TO THIS DAMN FORSAKEN PLACE!?! _DO YOU WANT ME TO RIP YOUR HEAD OFF!?!"_

Before Naruto could utter any sort of comeback, about six Dragon Bullets struck the frog. "What the...?"

"Go! Go! Go!" one snow shinobi yelled as the others began surrounding the summon, many preparing jutsu. "Bring it down! Bring it down!" Many ice animals, as well as a variety of fire, wind, lightning, earth and water, struck in a barrage all over Gamabunta. While each one was no more annoying than a flea bite, a lot of small annoyances could make one _very _irritable!

"What the crap!?" Gamabunta roared as the Ice Giant attempted to tackle the frog, which Gamabunta batted away with one hand, shattering it easily. "What's going on!?" Several ice rhinos slammed into his back right leg.

"Use your eyes, dung brain! Leaf shinobi! Snow Shinobi! Fighting! Doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on!" Naruto roared as Gamabunta moved to the side, avoiding another barrage of jutsu.

At that, Gamabunta flicked his tongue upward, propelling Naruto to the top of his head. "I'll deal with you later, kid! If you're lucky, maybe I'll make _you MY _underling! Now hold on!"

Several Snow Shinobi were preparing more jutsu when Gamabunta slammed his fist right down on the ground, kicking up debris, snow and dirt in those six men's faces. "Bring it down!!" several more shouted, jumping high into the air and firing at the frog's eyes. The frog merely turned his head, the attacks hitting the left side of his face. "Punks!" With that, he took a breath and blew out hard, sending the four shinobi through the air and crashing into the trees.

"Narutotoujin no Jutsu!"

"Who dares!?" both Gamabunta and Naruto demanded as they both turned around to see who was attacking, Gamabunta for the next insect to swat and Naruto to see who _dared _to use his name like that! Both were shocked to see a large tube that was lined on the inside with razor-sharp blades of steam that collided right on the Frog Boss' chest. Gamabunta gave a loud pained scream. That one frickin' hurt!

The summon's eyes laid on Fujiwara Sekimu, his hand on his chest as he was breathing heavily. "Hey! I took you out already!" Naruto complained.

Sekimu didn't react to that as he watched the Frog summon rear its head back, make a seal and fire a large burst of water. The steam user dodged by jumping back, avoiding the initial blast, but the shockwave hit him, throwing him across the field and back into dreamland.

"Kushiyose no Jutsu!!" a dozen voices rang out. Immediately five wolves, three large owls, two mountain goats, a cougar and another polar bear by the name of Safaia appeared. Each one was big, about twenty meters at least with the cougar being the largest at fifty. The two goats and two wolves took off together slamming into Gamabunta's hind legs, making his knees buckle slightly. The frog withdrew his large dosu and was about to strike when the owl summons came striking down from the sky, two clawing at the frog's face and the third going after Gamabunta's right hand, forcing him to drop his weapon. The cougar, remaining wolves and Safaia all slammed into the frog's stomach area, knocking the wind out of him as he crashed down on his side.

"We did it!" the Snow shinobi cheered. They took down the great Toad!

"NOW I'M MAD!!!" came the Summon Boss' reply as he got back to his feet, more annoyed than actually hurt.

Oh... they didn't do it...

Immediately, Gamabunta spat out more water bullets, striking each of the owl summons and taking them out. He double-backknuckled the large cougar, sending it crashing to the ground in a daze while he grabbed two of the wolf summons and hurled them at the mountain goats. The polar bear attempted to strike back, but the frog's tongue zipped out and wrapped around Safaia. In an instant, the bear collided with the remaining summons as they all vanished in a puff of smoke.

Gamabunta then gave a loud bellow at the remaining Yuki-nin, all of them flinching as a result and even a few dropping their weapons. "Who's next!?"

Naruto gave a small smirk. Alright! This frog was badass! He should have summoned this guy earlier! Now was about time he got back in the game and...

He never got a chance to finish because that exact moment, a tall, cloaked figure was suddenly in the air right over the frog's head.

Doto.

A second later, Doto's fist slammed into Gamabunta's head, causing the entire frog to shake violently as Naruto swore he heard a loud _'crack!'_ sound. "Bastard!" Naruto shouted as he attempted to strike the man, but Doto had already hopped off the frog, landing back on the train with his back turned, seemingly unconcerned. Naruto just snarled. "Hey Toad Jerk! Let's take this asshole out first!"

No answer.

"... Toad... Jerk?"

This time he got a response in the form of Gamabunta's pipe falling out of his mouth to the ground. To everyone's shock (and in Team 7's case, horror) the frog's eyes rolled backward as he fell to the ground. Like roaring thunder, the entire area shook with intensity and noise as Naruto was thrown off. Gamabunta's massive form now lay completely still on the ground, with Naruto not even sure if the frog was still breathing. Before anyone could confirm one way or another, the entire frog vanished in a puff of smoke just as all the snow summons did.

Naruto rolled on the snow-covered land before getting to his feet, looking directly at Doto. Who the hell was this bastard!? How could he take out Gamabunta with _one blow_!?

"Get them!" Doto roared, patting out his cloak as his Yuki-nin all looked at him, then at Team 7, and charged forward in a rush. About ten of them fired the Tiger Missiles, Dragon Bullets and Eagle Missiles at Team 7. Once again, Team 7 dodged, splitting up into three separate directions as more Snow Ninja pounced. One Snow Ninja formed a seal as his skin turned into a rock-like gray. Sakura was targeted first as she blocked the stone man's arm, then nailed a punch in his stomach... only for the man to completely shatter apart!

Sakura's jaw dropped at the sight. _ARGH!! I DIDN'T MEAN TO... _Her mental shout was cut off as all the... er... pieces... of the man/rock began circling around her in a fierce maelstrom before converging on her, striking her all over from all sides. Desperately, she attempted to block against the shower of rocks but there were simply too many of them to deal with all at once. One of the rock fragments had a face on it as it seemed to snicker in delight at her predicament, making her burn with rage.

And that's when a Naruto jumped in front of her, using two kunai to help block and repel the rock storm before being destroyed but allowed Sakura to get out of the jutsu. "Bastard!!" she shouted, punching the fragment with the face. It sailed through the air like a bullet before colliding with a tree hard and then falling to the ground.

The other rock fragments suddenly stopped spinning and dropped to the ground in a thud as well, like they had suddenly lost power. Sakura just looked on in bewilderment before three more Yuki-Nin tackled her.

Not too far away, the Uchiha sidestepped a kicking Yuki-Nin, grabbing the young man's arm and slamming his elbow in the man's face. The Curse Seal user then turned around to see another Yuki-Nin charging at him. In response, Sasuke neatly kicked the chakra pack on the ninja he just defeated toward the new foe. This man simply reached out and grabbed the chakra pack, transforming it completely into ice!

Sasuke gaped at the man who threw the now ice chakra pack at the boy, hitting him right in the face and sending him crashing to the ground. The boy looked up to see the man's hand held up menacingly. _Don't let him touch me!_

The man's hand flew towards him, but fortunately, Sasuke managed to roll away. The man attempted to strike again, only for Sasuke to handspring then backflip away. The Snow ninja just charged him again, his deadly hands seeking out Sasuke to turn him into ice...

The raven-haired boy continued to dodge, trying to think of a way to counterattack. His katana would be turned to ice just like the chakra pack had been, as would he if he physically touched the man. So that left Ninjutsu.

That's when a large gust of wind came out of nowhere and slammed into the man. He flew twenty feet until he slammed directly into a tree and slumped to the ground.

The Konoha genin looked over his shoulder to see a smiling Naruto looking at him, two downed snow shinobi at his feet.

They then heard Sakura gave a brief scream as they saw three shinobi ganging up on her, the girl tearing out quickly. So both sprinted over to her, both kicking a shinobi out of the way and grabbing the third one. Together they heaved the young woman up in the air, spun around and delivered a dual kick to her chest, propelling her away.

Sakura merely gave a nod of acknowledgement as she was helped to her feet before four more Yuki-Nin jumped out of the ground, surrounding the three in the four cardinal directions. As one, they made the seals and slammed their hands on the ground. "Hyouton: Hyouheki!"

Four Ice Walls sprang to life around the three Genin in a perfect square, locking them inside. A second later, two other shinobi came forth, crying out 'Doton: Daichi Hikimado no Jutsu' and 'Doton: Kasui Koukou no Jutsu!'

A hole suddenly opened up underneath the Leaf ninja's feet. The three looked down in surprise to see it filled with spikes as they fell downward. At the same time, another Yuki-Nin jumped in the air over the opening as he performed the Great Breakthrough, blowing out a wind blast to propel the three kids downward and skewer them.

In response, Sakura's feet latched onto the sides of the earth pit, chakra holding her firm despite the wind bearing down on them. Her arms reached out and she grabbed both boys by the leg, holding them just inches above the spikes. While hanging upside-down, both boys blew out the Wind Thrust and Fire Dragon Explosion. The fire and wind merged once again, greatly increasing Sasuke's firepower, and when it collided with the opposing wind...

BOOM!!!

The deadly fire attack was further enhanced by the Snow Ninja's own fuuton ninjutsu, resulting in a deadly explosion. The ice walls shattered like glass as the seven Snow Ninja were blown clean away, colliding into several of their fellows. Sakura herself nearly lost her grip and probably would have if the boys didn't take the opportunity to cling to the walls themselves and help stabilize each other. When it was over, they heaved themselves out of the hole and back onto the battlefield. Just in time to see a monstrous fire blast coming directly at them, causing all three of them to hit the ground hard to avoid it, though they could still feel it scorch their backs slightly.

Looking up, they saw a singular Snow Ninja standing there. Unlike the others, this one was even more covered up with thick, warm clothing than his comrades. Decorating the shoulders and his back was a three-pointed flame and in his right hand was a Multi-Staff, which he slammed down hard on the ground. Fire burst up along the ground as it began snaking towards the three genin.

The three genin just wanted to groan at this point as they all collapsed to their knees, desperately trying to regain their breath. Naruto still wasn't able to use clones and summoning Gamabunta had vastly drained his reserves. Sasuke wasn't much better off, just barely able to maintain the first level of Curse Seal and panting like a dog, large amounts of sweat dripping down his face. Sakura was perhaps the worst off, visibly gasping for air as she struggled to stand up right. They were just wearing out...

The Konoha genin quickly got to their feet as the flames came towards them at a frightening speed, zipping across the ground in odd angles to make them that much harder to predict, so the genin all ran directly at the flames and hopped over them. As expected, the flames arched back and came towards the Leaf shinobi, who all bolted towards the user, Atsusa Ikkoku.

The man merely snorted as he held his staff parallel to the ground and began twirling one end of the Multi-Staff around in a circle. Flames sprouted out from the motion, resulting in a ring of fire three feet in diameter, and he gave a mighty thrust.

The ring of fire shot out as if from a cannon, rolling along the ground – and melting everything it touched – towards Team 7, with the snaking fire coming from behind. Ikkoku wasted no time in launching several more fire rings, and in the blink of an eye, the fire rings and the snaking flames collided with Team 7 right in the middle. The fire exploded in a brilliant radiance of heat and death, seemingly burning the three rugrats to a crisp.

But once the flames died down, instead of burnt bodies, only three charred remains of logs were in their place. Behind Ikkoku was the three kids in the air, ready to strike down on the man... only for three Snow Ninja to appear behind them with a kick. This time, they were unable to use the Kawarimi.

Both boys managed to recover from the assault easy enough, though Sakura (more tired than they were) was not so fortunate. So Naruto leapt in front of her, giving her time to catch her breath as he engaged the three shinobi. Sasuke, meanwhile, launched a Grand Fireball at the fire user, who merely held out his hand straight at the incoming Katon. Sasuke's attack slammed into the ninja... and the fire was absorbed through the man's hand!

In response, the skin on the man darkened red a bit. He took a deep breath and without any seals blew out a mass of flames right towards Sasuke.

Such was the mighty power of his clan's bloodline limit! The Tainetsu! With it, one could control their body heat and use it to fuel their Katon jutsu and make them that much more powerful! It also allowed them to shoot fire from anywhere from their chakra pores, provided they were skilled with their chakra network in order to do so.

Their clan had lived in the Snow Country as long as anyone could remember. In the early days, they, like everyone else, had struggled against the cold, harsh nature of their land, eventually seeking the essentials of humanity, but most of all, warmth.

But their clan was strong and they created a means out of necessity in order to help them survive and thrive. The Tainetsu. With it, they could adjust their body temperatures to be more accommodating to the weather and conditions, though with an ill side effect. The Tainetsu made their natural body temperature lower as a result, making them more vulnerable to the elements if one could not use the Tainetsu. As a result, mastering their bloodline was an act of great importance for their small clan. Their bloodline also made them adept with the Katon Ninjutsu, but unfortunately made them unable to utilize any other element. A flare of irony for being a shinobi of the Snow, considering that, aside from the Fujiwara Clan – whose bloodline allowed them to use both Fire and Water to create their Steam – there were only _three _Katon users in the whole village!

And conveniently enough, those three were here in the midst of the battle.

With that, Ikkoku renewed his attack as more Yuki-nin rushed towards the blond one (as well as the pink-haired one, who was now back on her feet). The man twirled his Multi-Staff in his hand and charged the Uchiha, swinging his weapon down on the boy's skull. Sasuke merely parried the blow with his katana. While not enough to deflect it entirely, it was still enough to divert it slightly to miss him. Sasuke kicked at the man's other arm, but the man blocked it. Next, the Atsusa member whipped his staff around again, only this time Sasuke saw it encased with fire and blazing splendidly!

Instinct taking over, Sasuke ducked the blow and aimed a sweeping kick at the man, who merely jumped over it. Deciding to return the favor, the man aimed a kick at Sasuke's head, to which Sasuke knelt downward and used his headband to take the brunt of the kick, sending him skidding backwards. His red eyes studied the metal staff in his adversary's hands. Now that was a neat trick!

Sasuke decided to give it a try as he held up the blade straight up and began manipulating the chakra and fire energies the way he had witnessed the man do, and flames sprang to life on his blade. But to his horror, the metal turned bright red and curled up on itself. Sasuke's bewilderment was strong, and apparently enough to allow the enemy to strike him with one end of his staff, scoring a hit on Sasuke's stomach. The blow lifted him into the air before the man whirled his staff around again, striking Sasuke across the face. His sword, or what was left of it, flew out of his hand.

Sasuke landed on the ground and rolled along, coming up to one knee as his left hand clutched his stomach and his right nursed his face. Both had been struck, but there was very warm sensation as well, no doubt caused by the fact that the staff was covered in fire. Looking at his now ruined blade out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a pain of regret. He was getting accustomed to using a sword and was disappointed to see it go. _Well... I'll just have to swipe another..._ he thought before his gaze returned to the Snow Katon User, who was circling his weapon again and launching another fire ring at the black-haired boy.

Sasuke quickly created another ordinary bunshin in collaboration with his speed once again. The fire ring destroyed the clone and allowed Sasuke an opening on the Atsusa member from his blind side, hitting the man with a punch, followed up by a kick to the man's Multi-Staff, sending it flying away. Sasuke launched another kick, which the man blocked and then grabbed. Sasuke felt himself getting colder and colder, like the warmth within him was being taken out. Gasping, the Uchiha used his other foot to kick the man hard in the face.

Ikkoku gave a yell of pain as he hurled the boy away against a tree. Sasuke managed to shift his body around and clasp against the tree before jumping off right back at the man. As he flew, he lowered his hand to the ground, grabbed a handful of snow and flung it in his face. Sasuke quickly snatched up the remains of his blade and thrust the handle right into the man's throat as hard as he could.

A soundless scream escaped the man as his hands clutched his throat in agony, falling to his knees. The second he did so, the Uchiha heir was behind him, slamming the handle of the sword against the man's skull and sending him into dreamland. Sasuke took several deep breaths and realized he had to start conserving his strength. Opting to keep his Curse Seal active just a little longer, he switched off his Sharingan. The majority of the enemy were just weaklings anyway, so he shouldn't need his bloodline. _I hope... _he added silently.

Naruto was currently taking on three Yuki-Nin at once, one using a long spear to keep him off balance while the other two attacked closely. Naruto countered by merely sidestepping one of them and tripping him. The Snow Chunin landed right on top of his fellows as they both crashed on the ground. Naruto jumped down on the two for good measure, then bounced off to the spear wielder, sending the melee weapon off to the side with a kick. The Yuki-nin blocked Naruto's next strike with an outward block and scuffled backwards to get some distance between them.

"Suiton: Mizu Shuriken!" the man of roughly forty-five shouted as snow on the ground began melting into pools of water. The water quickly reformed on itself to create over a dozen water shuriken, which all hurled themselves at the boy, who jumped over them in response. To both his amazement and annoyance, the water shuriken abruptly turned around while Naruto was still in the air, hitting him all over his back. Naruto gave a scream of agony as he felt his back get sliced and diced. The water shuriken exploded upon each impact, getting his upper body soaking wet on top of being cut up.

The older man gave off a satisfied smirk as he ran through another string of seals, his arms dancing with lightning all over of them. Naruto heard a vague 'Raiton: Denka Te' from the guy's mouth before he came right towards the boy, whose response was only for his single eye to narrow. Naruto waited until the last possible second before dropping to the ground, narrowly missing the man's next punches. He kicked both of the man's knees inward, making the man collapse from his own weight. Naruto landed on the ground and quickly threw himself up to a handstand, his left foot squarely connecting with the man's jaw.

The man fell to the ground hard as the lightning died, groaning but not getting back up.

As for Sakura, she was slowly getting to her feet. Her body ached, she was out of breath, the cut on her arm from the fuuma shuriken still stung badly and her head was ringing. However, she was determined to keep on going. Another enemy down furthered their chances of living through this.

As if on cue, a single Yuki-Nin came running directly towards her, a kunai in each of his hands. This man was exceptionally large, though more width-wise than tall; a combination of both muscle and body fat. On the back of his chakra pack was what looked like a red river in the shape of an 'O'. Sakura reached down for some shuriken, only to discover to her dismay that she was out. That moment nearly cost her as the man was right on top of her, ready to skewer her. So she quickly raised her hands and grabbed the man by the wrists with a tight grip. For a moment, the two struggled in that position before blades popped out of the man's boots. He kicked at the girl, making Sakura jerk in pure reflex, snapping the man's left wrist.

The quick burst of pain was enough to divert the kick just enough as he dropped both kunai. Sakura jumped down to the ground and grabbed both of his weapons, then struck. To her astonishment, the man merely held up his arms, allowing Sakura an easy cut across both of them as he began bleeding profusely.

Even though this young man of twenty was the enemy, she couldn't help but shiver slightly, not wanting to cut the man that much. To her further shock, the man smiled.

"You a masochist?" Sakura asked, hoping otherwise.

"In a way," the man acknowledged. "You've just helped seal your doom." In response, his blood flew outward and formed into a pair of long swords. The man twirled the blood blades around in his hands, showing that they were just as solid as katanas made from steel.

"I am Murasaki. Of the Oketsu Clan," the man introduced himself, his eyes hard on Sakura, who just stared at him in return. "It is _rude _to not introduce oneself when addressed," the man added.

"… Haruno Sakura," she said, sounding a bit silly. It was odd for her. People always wanted to know _his _name or even Naruto's. No one had ever bothered to ask _her _name before. It wasn't something she had experienced before.

Yet… she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at the recognition as well.

"You are Type O Blood," Murasaki stated suddenly. The second he said that, he leaped forward, swinging his two blood katana with proficiency. Sakura blocked desperately with her kunai, barely able to keep up. The man twisted around, his left blade aiming right for the cut on Sakura's arm... then the blood rushed toward her injury at an amazing speed and in that split second, the girl understood.

She swiftly dropped her borrowed kunai and grabbed the remains of her cloak as she ran backwards from the strike, the blood missing her wound by centimeters. The man looked mildly disappointed and impressed as Sakura tore the remains of her cloak into makeshift bandages for any cut on her person. "So you noticed?" Murasaki asked, able to tell one's blood type by their personality.

"More or less," Sakura conceded. "Your ability is blood. It's not unreasonable to think that you could control my own blood... or have your blood enter my body and attack from the inside out."

The man gave a smile. "True. Though knowing won't help you any. Little pieces of cloth aren't going to stop these." He held up one of his blood blades in emphasis. Truthfully, to control her blood, he needed a large sample of hers. Once he had it, he would take it into his own body, assimilating it as his own, and then she was doomed, like many foes before her. "And it's not accurate to call it an 'ability'. It is the bloodline of my clan. Rather appropriate, wouldn't you say? A bloodline that revolves around actual blood. Now enough talk."

Sakura uneasily took a step backwards, unsure on how to handle the man when she stepped on a metal staff on the ground. Cautiously her eyes glanced downward. It was the one that wind kunoichi had used. What had she called it? A Multi-Staff?

The second Sakura looked down, Murasaki struck. Leaping into the air, he raised his weapons over his hand and struck downward just as Sakura kicked the staff up to her hands. _This thing controls wind, so it should be perfect! _With that thought, she blocked the two blades with her weapon. The man launched several kicks at her with his bladed boots, all of which she barely dodged. Sakura swung her staff as hard as she could at the man, forcing him to back off. _Now I've got him! _she cheered mentally as she got into the same stance Chiru had gotten into to launch those air balls, channeling a small amount of chakra into the staff. _Take this!_

Nothing happened.

The two just stood there looking as Sakura looked at the staff in disbelief, making several more jerking motions trying to get the thing to work. All it did though was turn slightly brown. "What's wrong with this stupid thing!?" the leaf ninja shouted at the top of her lungs, anger replacing her fatigue. "It's supposed to make wind attacks!!"

"That's not how it works," the blood user said simply as his right blood blade transformed into a fuuma shuriken, which he threw at the girl. Sakura reacted completely on instinct, batting the blood shuriken with the Multi-Staff... and splattering it completely into a pool of blood that splashed all over the girl.

Sakura had an overwhelming urge to throw up as she re-examined the staff. How did it get so much stronger? She didn't get long to think, though, as more blood came out of Murasaki's arms, turning the katana into a large broadsword. The man grabbed it with both hands and whirled it around, bringing it down on top of Sakura's head. Once again, she blocked it with the staff, but the force was so strong it caused her arms to buckle.

The Snow Ninja took advantage of that moment, delivering a strong kick to her gut. Sakura sailed through the air as the man leaped after her, swinging his blood broadsword once again. Sakura barely managed to guard with the Multi-Staff, but the force still sent her crashing into the ground with a loud grunt of pain.

"Got you now, Haruno-san..." Murasaki started before he slipped and fell on his backside.

Sakura looked on in confusion as she looked at the ground and the Multi-Staff again. The ground by the foremost tip was all slippery mud now, which the Yuki-Nin had stepped in unknowingly and fell.

_The staff turned the ground into mud? _she thought to herself, before it all clicked in place. Of course! It was called the Multi-Staff because it reacted to all elements, not just one! Wind had been that Snow Kuniochi's element, so the staff made wind attacks. And now it was making earth-based attacks from her earth abilities. Did that mean that earth was her primary element?

The Oketsu was starting to get back up, but Sakura reacted first, swinging her staff again and hitting the man's left knee, shattering it completely. Murasaki gave an unnatural cry of pain which Sakura forced herself to block out as she hit the man several times with her staff in the stomach, chest and face areas until he was out cold.

The girl panted again, and for a brief moment, really did consider taking the Chakra Pack from the knocked out man. However, she decided against it as she used the Multi-Staff as a crutch to help herself up as she surveyed the area.

It looked like there were about twenty of the Yuki-Nin left, with them taking on Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke seemed to be doing well enough, taking on four at once, while Naruto was taking on three, still unable to use his shadow clones.

She watched as the woman he was fighting dodged one of his kicks. She placed her hands on the ground and brought them back up covered in mud. Naruto punched at her, but the Snow Kunoichi caught it, so he tried again, only for her to catch that one too. Suddenly the mud became alive, covering Naruto's hands completely and locking them in place. Sakura could see the horror in her teammate's eye, as he was now unable to make any handseals for his jutsu!

There was no hesitation in Sakura's next action as she hurled the Multi-Staff with all her might, which slammed into the surprised Kunoichi's face, right between her eyes. The woman hollered in pain, her hands already up to try to ease the pain. Naruto immediately took advantage of it as he jumped up and placed a well-aimed kick to the side of her face.

The woman hit the ground, but rolled back up, much to the surprise of both Leaf Genin. She lowered her hands and looked right at them, a nice indent on her face that was very red, yet not bleeding. "My face! My beautiful face! How dare you do that to my lovely face! I didn't hit your faces, now did I!?"

"No... but you did try to kill us," Naruto replied matter-of-factly as Sakura forced her tired body over to them.

"SO!?! YOU STILL MESSED UP MY WONDERFUL FACE!!!" the woman screamed with increased intensity. "I, BI BOU, WILL _**SLAUGHTER **_YOU!!! _**RAITON: BOUFUUKEN NO JUTSU!!!**_"

Lightning began appearing all around Bi as though she were a human power plant. The Snow Chunin ran right up to Naruto as lightning danced around her left arm, punching Naruto right in the face. Naruto shot backwards like a cannon, surprised by the sheer amount of power in her punch. Bi hollered in glee as she went after him again. Naruto got to his feet and tried to form the Kaze Kiwa, only to be reminded that his hands were locked in place.

That's when Sakura rolled along the ground, regrabbed the Multi-Staff and blocked Bi's next punch with it. The staff held up to the electrified enhanced punch as both females skidded backwards a bit. "DAMN YOU!!! DAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOU!!!!"

Bi let loose a furious storm of punches and kicks on Sakura. The girl managed to block a few before she dashed off to the side, trying to back off. Bi stuck to her like a bee to a flower, matching Sakura's every step easily as Sakura was exhausted and Bi relatively fresh. The kunoichi punched again, lightning flying off her arm like a battering ram and knocking the Multi-Staff out of Sakura's hands and out of reach.

That's when Naruto appeared behind the woman, hitting her with a double-handed strike to the base of her neck. To his surprise, electricity arced right into his path, blocking the attack. Bi whirled around on one foot, using the other to kick Naruto in the left side of his neck, nearly twisting it as he crashed along the ground, skidding nearly twenty feet. That was going to leave a nasty mark!

Bi gave another insane laugh as she hopped over to Naruto, one leg charged and ready to smear him all over the ground!

"Fuuton: Kaze Kiwa no Jutsu!"

Time seemed to freeze for a moment as both faces looks over to see a pink blur come right at them, forcing Bi to jump back quickly as a deadly wind strike slashed through where the older woman had been but a moment ago.

In her place stood a panting Sakura. With the Kaze Kiwa active.

Though it was nothing like what Naruto would do. Hers was much more chaotic, bulging in places, wind spinning at different velocities at different ends of the jutsu. Parts of it looked ready to burst right open while others looked ready to collapse in on itself. But for all intents and purposes, it was the Kaze Kiwa, though a very crude and unstable version of it.

Naruto felt a bit of rage and a protest formed in his throat, but he stopped himself when he saw Sakura's right arm. It was a wreck. Almost the entire thing was bright red, indicating it was quite sore and painful with red lines of blood all over, though Sakura was making every effort not to show it on her face. She was slicing her own arm all over!

Bi gave the young girl a careful look. "If you're trying to use wind to combat my jutsu," she said in a normal voice, aware of the potential of the Kaze Kiwa as Naruto had used it several times himself in this fight. "I wouldn't recommend it. You look like you're going to destroy your own arm before you're able to land a hit on me."

To the Snow Ninja's surprise, the girl just smiled. "Better I destroy my own arm and take you down... than letting you do it for me."

Bi just gave a slight gasp. The girl would willingly sacrifice her own arm, just for a _chance _at victory!?

The Leaf kunoichi used the moment to attack, furiously stabbing at the other woman. Sakura's Kaze Kiwa cut through the Snow Ninja's lightning on the right arm and hit the shoulder, making the woman scream. She punched at Sakura with her other arm in response, blowing Sakura back a few feet. She managed to stabilize herself, but her arm was getting worse by the second as the two Kunoichi began trading blows, with Naruto standing and watching in spite of himself.

"That's enough, Sakura! Stop using the Kaze Kiwa!" He quickly began slamming his own fists on the ground, trying to get the blasted mud off his hands.

Sakura didn't seem to listen as the two Kunoichi continued to spar, with Sakura taking more hits due to her exhaustion. That's when Naruto noticed the Kaze Kiwa on her arm getting smaller and smaller. At first, he thought she was losing control or giving it up, but the winds were just as strong as ever with Sakura's left hand in the tiger seal. Unable to help himself, he continued to watch in interest as the Kaze Kiwa continued to shrink down until it was just a mini-sized version version of it, barely covering her fist. Yet the winds were as strong as ever! No longer was her Kaze Kiwa unstable or bulging, she had condensed it down to a level she could wield!

"Much better," Sakura said, her voice still filled with strain and weariness nonetheless. She chopped at the Kunoichi again, with faster results that cut along Bi's hood, revealing long flowing red hair underneath. Bi countered by backhanding at the younger girl, who evaded and struck downward. But Bi caught Sakura's deadly right fist with a hand. "Ha!" Bi cried in triumph.

Until Naruto kicked a rock that slammed into her face. "WHY YOU LITTLE FUCKING – "

She never got finish her latest temper tantrum as Sakura used the moment to uppercut the woman as hard as she could in the gut, completely bursting through the protective lightning. A voiceless yell escaped from Bi's mouth before she blacked out on the snow-covered ground.

Naruto gave his teammate a grin (trying not to yell at her about stealing his move; he'd do that later) as he gave his fists a final slam on the ground that shattered the mud handcuffs, while Sakura nearly collapsed right then and there as she cradled her right arm, still a mass of sores and cuts.

That's when a large, seven-foot Snow Ninja leapt into the air behind Sasuke – who had just finished taking down two other Yuki-nin - slamming his fist into Sasuke's cranium. Sasuke hit the ground. Hard. "Sorry, sir," the man uttered in a light voice as the Curse Seal faded entirely.

Naruto was about to call out his friend's name when the same Snow Ninja was right beside Sakura in a heartbeat, backhanding her across the face. "Apologies, ma'am." She landed nearly fifty feet away, crying out in pain. Naruto gave a roar of rage as he ran towards the man, who merely pivoted and slammed his elbow in Naruto's throat. "Pardon me, sir!"

Naruto's hands were grabbing his throat like mad. That fucking hurt! Anger filling him, he took a closer look at the new opponent. He was muscular with signs of great endurance. He, unlike the majority of Snow Shinobi, wore no hood or mask, showing off his short black hair in a buzz cut. On his legs were the Chakra Shin Guards, but instead of the Strength Gauntlets, he wore some kind of metal armguards. It was his eyes that made Naruto stare the most. A hard stare and… that was it. Just a hard stare. Not one of anger, pity, emptiness, humor or anything.

"Yes. You will do first, Uzumaki-kun," the man said simply. At that exact moment, another Yuki-Nin, Oniikei, appeared right behind Naruto, the hair on his left arm extended and sharp as nails, ready to pierce Naruto in the back with bloody precision.

Until the seven-foot beast suddenly ran over, slamming a fist into his countryman's face, where he smashed into a tree a moment later.

"A true shinobi battle…" the mountain man went on, looking directly at Naruto, seemingly unfazed by the fact that he just attacked one of his fellow ninjas. "…is a one-on-one match with physical skills. I believe your own Third Hokage preached this, Uzumaki-kun."

Naruto just continued to stare at this guy as the pain in his neck began to lessen. Who was this guy? Looking around, he saw no other Snow Shinobi protesting to what this guy had just done, nor was anyone going after the downed Sasuke and Sakura. Did that mean he had incredible influence, or… were they all scared of him?

"I am Tadashii Reigi, Uzumaki-kun. Let me show you the fruits of the Yama-Ken Taijutsu style," the newly dubbed Reigi spoke before launching himself at Naruto, another punch slamming down on the ground and barely missing Naruto as he jumped back. Reigi quickly attacked again, this time with a punch to Naruto's stomach. "Sorry, sir!" Naruto coughed up a lot of blood as he went rolling along the ground. He came to a stop as he attempted to pick himself up, only to see that Reigi was right behind him. _How the fuck did he get _BEHIND _me!?_

Reigi punched again, forcing Naruto to roll on the ground to avoid it. He blocked out the pain in his stomach as best he could as he quickly backflipped to his feet and grabbed a kunai. A second later, he launched a mini Kaze Kiwa flying towards the incoming man, who merely held up his left arm as Naruto's wind attack hit the arm guard… and bounced right back!

Naruto was barely able to contain his surprise as both his own jutsu and Reigi's next punch slammed into him. "Sorry, sir!" Naruto gave a shrill scream as he rolled along the ground. His chest felt like it was on fire! In an flash, Reigi was behind him, swinging another arm down low into a fierce uppercut to the boy's chin before turning around and slamming his palm into Naruto's face, crushing his nose. "Iwahada. Sorry, sir!"

Naruto hit the ground hard again but was immediately surrounded by his clones, each one with fury in their eyes as they all lined up, with the rearmost one shouting "Fuuton: Kaze Misairu Rendan!"

The Kaze Tate sprung to life around that Naruto while the Kaze Doriru activated around the others, sending a batch of destructive wind missiles right at the Snow Ninja, who merely narrowed his eyes and stood his ground. He began backhanding with his armguards at each Naruto-made missile with enough force to disperse them, muttering out an apology with each strike.

Koyuki and the movie crew just gasped at the sight as Reigi continued swatting the Naruto missiles like flies. Even with the armguards, how could that guy deflect all those wind attacks without being shredded!? Who was this guy!?

As Reigi batted the last Naruto away, he was surprised to see one _not _dispersed as that Naruto did a controlled roll on the ground, then sprang up with the grace of a leopard. _So that's the real one! _Reiji thought to himself, his right eye glancing at the Naruto who had used the Wind Shield, now knowing that was a clone. Naruto rushed him, his Kaze Kiwa active again.

Until Reigi kicked at his arm, his shin guard canceling out the Kaze Kiwa as he shifted his weight around and delivered a brutal side-kick to Naruto's sensitive chest area, where he collided with a tree a moment later. "My apologies, sir! You _almost _caught me by surprise with that one!"

Naruto was about to throw out a bloody insult when the mountain fist user was right on top of him again. Naruto barely was able to duck the blow as Reigi's right fist slammed into the tree, blowing out a large hole that made the tree fall over. The blond nearly howled in rage as he jumped up, slamming his fist into the man's exposed chin. Yes! Finally a hit on the damn -

The man's head jerked backward, then slammed forward into Naruto's face. His right arm flew backwards, elbowing Naruto right in the spine. "Jishintai**. **Good hit sir!" Naruto tried to block out the pain as he soared through the air _yet again _and was damn sick of it! This time, he ran through another series of seals, not even bothering to catch himself as he hit the ground. "Suiton: Booruban Mizu Dangan no Jutsu!"

Like a cannon, the drilling water bullet streaked towards the Snow Ninja, who formed three quick seals and muttered 'Gouwan'. His right arm bulged in a mass of muscles as he punched the water bullet, demolishing it completely!

He was no fool after all. He had no quells about using Ninjutsu if the situation required it. He simply preferred a slugfest of fists and kicks.

Naruto just gawked in disbelief as the man's arm returned to normal. "WHY THE HELL WON'T YOU FALL!?!"

"Because I have to kick your ass to hell, Uzumaki-kun," Reiji replied casually, now hopping on one foot. "I've seen your jutsu throughout this fight, Uzumaki-kun. You can't surprise me."

Despite the pounding of his head and aching of his back, what burned him up the most was this guy, after seeing everything Naruto had did, _was still underestimating him!!! _

"You want to be surprised!?" Naruto shrieked at the man, running through seven old seals. "You want something _NEW!?_ WELL FINE!!! Kibou Te!!" Both of Naruto's hands were encased with a bright blue glow that matched both the color and rage of his single eye.

From his jumping foot, Reigi sprang on Naruto as he brought his arms down into two furious upward blocks on Naruto's hands, sending them flying above his hand and leaving himself vulnerable! "I repeat: You _can't _surprise me. I know full well that you use many and unique types of jutsu. But that won't do you any good when your _body is too messed up to use them, sir!"_

Reigi clasped his hands together and struck down hard on the one-eyed boy's skull. "Irapushon, sir, with my apologies."

Naruto just stood still, as if frozen in place by a Hyouton jutsu. Then slowly... his knees gave way and he found himself falling to the ground, unable to keep going. It was only the man's strong grip on his collar that stopped him from kissing the ground in an undignified way.

The Tadashii held Naruto up to face level with his left hand. Suddenly two kunai shot out of Naruto's sleeves as he aimed them right at the BASTARD'S face!!!

The Snow Chunin merely caught the blades with his teeth. He jerked his head sideways and spat the weapons on the snow.

"There is no shame in defeat, Uzumaki-kun," Reigi told him, looking him directly in the eye with his own. At last, Naruto knew what to classify that stare of his as. Merciless.

"There is _always _someone stronger out there. Always," he went on as he whipped his right hand around and caught Sakura's flying kick. _When did she recover!?_ Naruto thought as the man threw her to the side. "It's the natural way of life." He moved his left arm to the side, a Grand Fireball striking his armguard and flying right back at a very surprised Uchiha. "You fought a good fight. That's all anyone can ask of you, sir."

"What's... with... all the... polite... shit...?" Naruto asked, despite himself.

"Because my good old mother raised me that way," he said in an almost song-like voice, positively beaming. "Always be polite and respectful to your enemies and allies. No matter what the case! That's what defines a man!"

_A tall, looming woman with a permanent scowl on her is standing in an extremely messy room over a five year old Reigi. "You little worthless fool of a brat! I told you to have your room cleaned by the end of the day! Well, it's the end of the day and what do I see? A STILL messy room! You miserable little cur! Where is your respect for your dear old mother!? IF ONLY YOUR FATHER WAS STILL ALIVE!! When I tell you to do something, you better well do it and do it right to _MY _specifications! MINE! NOT YOURS! MINE, you little ungrateful, lowly worm!! Back in my day when _MY _parents told me to do something, I did it and did it happily! And my life was MUCH harder than yours and..."_

_All this time, the five year old is just looking lovingly up at his screaming mother with a look of utmost admiration and contentment on his face with a big smile._

Ah yes! Good old mom! Always knew what to say!

"I was raised to be respectful and polite all the time," Reigi went on. "Especially to the _deceased." _

With that, the two-meter tall ninja slammed his right fist into Naruto's chin, propelling him to the sky. Reigi jumped after him, grabbed the boy and slammed his back on top of Reigi's left knee. The orange and black clothed boy gave a scream of utmost pain before Reigi's arm expanded again and delivered an extreme punch to Naruto's face. Naruto shot down at a 45-degree angle like a missile into the lake, shooting up water as high as fifty feet in all directions as the man landed on the ground. "Shin'en. Fare thee well, Uzumaki-kun."

Sakura was just staring in disbelief at the lake. Tears threaten to spill from her eyes as Naruto was not resurfacing. First Kakashi and now Naruto... who was next...

Sasuke, however had a very different reaction, as he was looking at the lake in extreme disappointment. Naruto had just got owned big time...

… _and he MISSED IT!!!_

Okay, okay, so maybe that was unfair and unbecoming of him, but Sasuke couldn't help it. You have any idea how long he had waited to see _someone _put the blond loudmouth in his place? Especially in a fight? To finally wipe the arrogant little smirk off his face? And it finally happened... and Sasuke had been knocked out cold! Only coming to when a beat-up Naruto was being held like a rag doll in the Mountain Man's grip!

Besides... he knew what was coming next. He knew his unofficial rival well.

"Finally!" they all heard Doto roar happily from atop of the train, practically singing. "The Blond Brat is gone! He's gone, gone, _gone! _Reigi-san, dispose of the other two and I will reward you well as a Loyalist!!"

Both he and Sakura watched as Reigi walked over to them, casually looking over them one at a time, trying to decide which of them to fight next. "You shouldn't have done that to Naruto," Sasuke offered, causing all eyes to focus on him.

"And why is that?" the snow ninja asked, getting into a stance.

That was when a pillar of red, horrifying chakra shot out from the lake to the heavens above.

"Because you just pissed him off," Sasuke finished as all eyes looked back at the lake in pure disbelief.

Red demonic energy filled the air, beginning to swirl amongst itself as water exploded outward again. The chakra felt demonic... and yet it wasn't... it was something... deeper... In the air, the red chakra seemed to be collecting in on itself into a head with long years, a dog-like snout with many deadly teeth and eyes of pure malice as the small figure emerged directly underneath.

Naruto previously had several massive bruises on his person, a crushed-in bloody face and broken nose, a gaping wound on his chest from the mini Kaze Kiwa, his back battered with several frictions and cracks along his spine and his jumpsuit was tattered and torn, especially in the left chest area. Now the injuries were all healing at an _incredible _rate! The bruises were disappearing as fast as someone wiping away mud. His nose straightened out back to normal as did his entire face. His back straightened out, signifying the damage to his spine being repaired. All the cuts and open wounds he had collected up until now closed at once.

Ironically, it was none of this that caught the onlooker's attentions. It was Naruto's eyes. Both of them, as well as his closed eye, were now open and they were a fiery red, unlike his normal blue. Power and rage could be seen in them. It was like Naruto was a completely different person now... an incredibly pissed off one at that!

Many of the remaining Snow Shinobi still standing were trembling at the sight, frozen with anxiety and fear. Kiou took off running from his spot inside the train, hightailing it out of there as fast as humanly possible. Both Ikusa and Kiganai were locked in place, their eyes all but bulging outward at the sight. On the hilltop, Taigi took a few fearful steps backwards but still managed to keep himself composed. On the outside at least; inside was a completely different story. Homare was virtually speechless. _This _was the boy he had fought earlier? It seemed like someone's cruel joke...

The movie crew and Koyuki were just frozen in place in terror, this sensation _nothing _like that little fight between Naruto and Sasuke on the boat, or even at the Iceberg. Several of them (Kaijo amongst them) nearly went hysterical. Makino himself was surprisingly silent. His pipe had fallen to the ground and he was observing the scene with keen skills, just trying to wonder what to make of this development for his movie. Doto's face had fallen in sheer surprise, his mouth hanging open as a fly flew inside.

A second later, the great Daimyo and Kagirinai Kachuu began gagging uncontrollably.

"**You want to be **_**SURPRISED!?!**_" Naruto roared directly at Reigi as all the chakra he emitted seemed to surge into him, vastly refilling his depleting chakra reserves. "_**WELL, ARE YOU SURPRISED NOW!?!"**_

Reigi just gave a nod as his voice was lodged in his throat. Yes, he was surprised. He was VERY surprised.

In a flash, Naruto took off like a bullet, landing a solid hit on the mountain man's gut. Reigi gave a silent scream of pain before grabbing both of Naruto's arms. Ignoring the pain from the red flaring chakra, he landed on his back and planted a foot on Naruto's chest before launching him backwards like a catapult towards a tree.

Naruto backflipped in the air, clutching the tree like a fly. With a chakra-enhanced leap, he jumped back towards the man, a punch aimed at the face. Reigi sidestepped it and grabbed Naruto's arm again, swinging him around and around before hurling him high into the air. The man jumped into the air after the blond, his left arm expanding in strength.

A nanosecond before his punch connected, Naruto brought out both hands and caught the fist in his palms. He took a firm grip and rolled himself above and over the man's inflated arm, delivering two powerful drop kicks on the man's face. The man sailed downward like a bomb to the ground, snow kicking up everywhere as he landed.

Giving a laugh, Naruto soared downward after his prey, just barely missing the man as he leapt to the side. Reigi then sprang forward again at the boy. "Dosekiryuu!" he yelled, throwing out many fast-paced punches at the boy. Naruto quickly jumped from side to side in blur, narrowly but surely dodging all the punches as though playing a game of Hanpuku Yoko-Tobi.

Suddenly, Naruto jumped forward and slammed a fist into Reigi's chest, making him slide backwards. Upon further examination, it looked like someone had carved a hole in the chest, as it was now gouged in.

Then snow began collecting on the 'wound', restoring it to normal.

And a dangerous frown appeared on Naruto's face. "_**COME ON OUT, YOU SHITTY BASTARD!!! FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN, YOU DAMN CHEAP COWARD!!!"**_

No response came, but the Ice Clone charged Naruto again. Naruto, in an almost bored like manner, aimed a solid punch at the clone's stomach, piercing it completely. To his surprise, snow began compiling again, locking his arm in place as the clone put Naruto in a front bear hug. "_**GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!!!"**_

In response, Reigi burst from the ground behind Naruto, both arms reared back and ready to strike, but Naruto gave a soul-splitting yell, the red chakra utterly demolishing the Ice Clone and throwing Reigi through the air like a toy before managing to land on his feet, only to see a blazing red bullet coming right at him.

Reigi quickly withdrew several kunai with exploding tags and hurled them right at Naruto. He jumped right and left, avoiding each of the explosions as he dashed towards him.

The Yuki-nin opted for the same approach. Naruto threw a punch, but Reigi quickly performed a Noku, sidestepping to the left, then back to the right putting himself right behind Naruto, then throwing an elbow right at his back again.

Naruto hit the ground in force to avoid the blow, then launched himself with his hands upwards, planting both feet firmly on Reigi's chin. After jerking his head backwards, the Snow Ninja grabbed Naruto's left leg and slammed him against the ground with all the force he could muster.

A groan of pain escaped the boy's mouth. "_**That's more LIKE it!"**_ the red chakra-glowing boy hollered in glee as he slammed his right foot on Reigi's hand, allowing him to escape the man's grasp. He pushed off the ground again to land another kick, but this time Reigi caught the boy's. He immediately chopped the boy's neck with his free hand, making him hit the ground hard.

The genin rolled along the ground and sprang back to his feet, but Reigi was already on top of him with another punch. This time, Naruto kicked up high, his foot landing on the man's hand, as he threw his leg downward, slamming the hand down on the snow covered ground before using his other leg to kick the Chunin's face.

Using his free arm, the Snow Ninja landed a solid hit in the boy's stomach, but constant contact with the boy's red chakra was clearly becoming more and more difficult for him. Nevertheless, he continued on as he wheeled his arm around and hit Naruto's chin. He then grabbed the side of Naruto's head and put right into a left hook. A Gunpou strike.

This time, Naruto gave a more shrill cry of pain, his eyes burning with rage all the more, before swinging both of his arms and slamming them against Reigi's left arm, shocking him. _Did you take all those hits just for an opening to break my arm?! _Using his right hand, he hurled Naruto a distance behind him, but the boy landed on his feet like an expert.

Reigi rubbed his left arm cautiously, never taking his eyes off of Naruto. _If that had been anyone else, that move would have broken their arm. Uzumaki-kun... what are you? I have never fought one like you before._

All this time, Doto, the movie crew, and especially the ninja (both Snow and Leaf) were watching the fight with the utmost attention. What a fight! Neither one was backing down and it was just intense!

Sasuke himself was watching the Snow Ninja expertly, analyzing his every move. He wanted to know just what style or moves he was using to give Naruto such trouble. From what he could gather, it seemed the taijutsu style was almost a mirror opposite of Sekken, the fighting style of the Uchiha clan.

Where Sekken was a merger of various taijutsu techniques, fundamentally relying on intercepting – hence the name – and turning the attacks back on the opponent, it seemed to him that whatever this man's taijutsu style was, it revolved almost entirely around brute strength punches in direct confrontation. This more or less worked in Sasuke's favor. While he had studied and trained for the use of Sekken when he was younger, he was slowly moving past it. Since he became Naruto's 'rival', he had slowly been adopting several of the boy's tendencies. He was still evasive, but also more 'up front' in his opponent's faces like Naruto. It was a great advantage as he could switch between the two.

Now he was watching this guy as best he could, already working on ways to incorporate this man's fighting style into his own. He did note that this man wasn't speaking, not even that polite crap he had kept uttering. Was it because he was taking Naruto that seriously... or something else?

The two opponents took off running at each other, dashing back and forth all over the battlefield as they struck head on again and again. Both kept increasing in speed, growing faster and faster with each strike as they moved about the battlefield. Snow completely flew off the ground from the shockwaves of each hit, revealing the frozen brown soil underneath.

They struck again, with Naruto sending a barrage of punches to the man's face, then clashing on the other side of the field a split second later, Reigi's fist ramming into Naruto's skull. Twenty meters to the left, Naruto double-backhanding the base of Reigi's neck. Thirty meters to the right, Reigi grabbing ahold of Naruto's arm and slamming him against the ground, cracking the very ground. Then in mid-air, where Naruto head-butted the older man. They both dropped to the ground, rebounded and ran into each other as their fists collided, then threw both of them backwards over ten meters.

Naruto once again rebounded with near ease, but this time Reigi did not as he collapsed to all fours, gasping for air as if his very life depended on it, clearly not used to moving at that speed and now no longer able to.

"_**You're MINE!!!" **_Naruto screamed in triumph racing back towards his opponent who looked up. Once Naruto was right on top of him, he pushed himself into the air just barely evading the boy's attack. He raised his right leg, attempting to use both power and gravity for a severe hit.

Before he could even start his swing, Naruto jumped upward, ramming his head into the man's raised leg, throwing him completely off balance. He landed on one foot, but before he could do anything, Naruto was right in front of him, punching rapidly all over the man's chest, earning a gasp of sheer pain with each blow. Naruto gave a feral roar as he continued his barrage, faster, harder, deadlier. The sheer power began pile-driving the two across the open plain with Naruto's relentless attack and all Reigi could do was shout in pain.

Then Naruto's right arm dropped towards the snow-covered ground, a Rasengan spinning to life in his hand. He scraped it across the ground, gathering snow and compressing it into his Rasengan before slamming this newest variation into the Snow Taijutsu user with a roar of pure malice.

Reigi flew through the air like Naruto had so many times earlier until he crashed right _through _a tree and kept on going, slamming into a second tree that all but shattered upon the man's impact. Very slowly and painfully, Reigi looked up at his young opponent.

And gave him a thumbs-up.

Then he collapsed on the ground into dreamland.

Naruto saw this and looked towards the sky as he gave a victory cry, like he wanted the gods themselves to acknowledge his victory.

While all the spectators gawked at him, unsure of what to do next, the wheels in one Kazahana Doto's head were spinning furiously. Such an awesome display of power! Sheer, unmatched POWER!!!

And Doto was almost certain he knew what this power was. When both Suna and Oto had attacked Konoha, it became well-known that they had deployed Sand's Jinchuuriki host to destroy the Hidden Leaf village.

What wasn't entirely known was exactly _how _the Leaf managed to stop it. Only a few had actually witnessed what had been able to stop the rampaging Shukaku when even the great Gamabunta hadn't been able to and those few weren't talking. Still, rumors did get out and it was believed that Konoha had deployed some kind of new, secret weapon against the trump card of the Sand village.

Of course, what exactly this trump card was still very much unknown. It was a well-known fact that the Shodai Hokage had distributed Biju to the other main villages, so each of them _at least _had one Jinchuuriki host to call their own, so it would stand to reason that Konoha would have retained one as well. But if they did, they were very unusual about it. Where Sand, Cloud and Rock would boast about the exploits of Gaara, Kirabi and Mesaki, Konoha did no such thing. It made many wonder if they really did have a Jinchuuriki in their village.

And of course, there was the infamous night almost thirteen years ago with the Kyuubi attack and it's defeat. Many had believed that it had simply been killed without it being sealed into a Jinchuuriki, especially when Konoha was not bragging about it. Who _wouldn't _want to brag about harnessing the most powerful of the Biju?

The coordinated attack on Konoha, though, changed everything. With the knowledge of the other villages and the fact that Konoha had unveiled a weapon at long last, that was the most probable theory as to what that weapon actually was: The Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune itself!

However, no Suna or Oto nin had been close enough to _identify _the host, if truly a Jinchuuriki the weapon had been. So if such a person had existed, the identity of this individual was not known.

Until now...

Doto could barely contain himself. The pieces of the puzzle fit! It certainly had to be it! The 'weapon' Konoha deployed against the One Tail! Here! In his own country! Right under his very _nose!! _Just his for the taking!! The power he could wield from a Jinchuuriki of _any _Biju would be immense to his plans!! And if it really was the Kyuubi itself... Doto could hardly contain his excitement.

It had to be his!

It _would _be his!!

"I want the blond brat alive!!" Doto roared loudly, pointing a finger expectantly at Naruto as the remaining Snow Shinobi all looked at him. "_SEIZE HIM!! WHOEVER DOES WILL BE REWARDED BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS!!!"_

The Yuki-Nin just looked at their leader like he was crazy and in that instant, Naruto attacked! He dashed forward, striking one shinobi hard in the stomach and sent him flying in the air. "AAAAHHHH!!!" the man shouted as he landed in the forest about fifty or so meters away.

Another Snow Shinobi jumped on Naruto's back, wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck and his legs around his waist. Two other shinobi grabbed him from the sides, slamming their shin guards against him, all three hoping that their shin guards would disrupt Naruto's red chakra.

It failed miserably.

The orange and black clothed boy gave another feral roar, red chakra exploding all around him with new ferocity as the three Snow-nin were propelled three different directions.

"Doton: Kidotekkou!" Naruto whipped his head around to see a Snow Ninja slam his fists into the ground. When he brought them back up, he had earth-style boxing gloves on his hands, not unlike Sakura's Ganseki Gunte. The man charged forwards and threw a punch, just missing the boy. The blond gave a laugh as he grabbed the man's arm and threw him over his shoulder, slamming the man's head down on the ground. The entire body shook from the recoil, but the man still managed to hold up both of his hands at Naruto's chest, where the rock boxing gloves blasted off and hit Naruto in the chest at pointblank range.

The Uzumaki shouted in both pain and annoyance before striking the ninja, sending him skidding twenty meters across the ground. That was when Danmari appeared behind the boy, holding two ridiculously large broad axes as he mercilessly swung them down at Naruto, much like the rhythm to a beat a drum user would use.

Naruto dodged the opening shots, then threw back his arms and struck along the base of the axes, breaking them in two and sending the blade portions flying off, where they nearly struck another ninja, who turned ghost white at the realization of just what happened and was grateful he kept his neck.

Until Naruto gave a severe punch to Danmari, where the giant of a man landed on that same unfortunate soul not two moments later.

"Hyouton: Iguruu Gokusha no Jutsu!"

Forming in the air right above Naruto, a large igloo formed, then fell right on top of him, trapping him inside. "Got you now!" the Snow Shinobi shouted in joy as he put his hands on the ground and channeled more chakra into it. Seconds later, sounds of fierce fighting were heard inside as the man knew the demonic brat was engaging hordes of Ice Clones. It was only a matter of time before the full effects of his jutsu...

A section of the ice igloo bulged out, as if it had been hit. Then another bulge appeared at the opposite end. Then another... and another... and with each new bulge the man's face faltered more and more until he was just nervously laughing, sweat beading down his face.

Then the Igloo Prison erupted into a shower of pieces all at once, forcing the man to shield his face with his arms. When it died down, he saw the blond kid standing in the center of the newly demolished igloo, a spinning chakra orb in each hand. The orbs died out as the boy ran right on top of him, grabbing both sides of the man's head and slamming it hard into his own. Repeatedly. After eight hits, the man blacked out as Naruto kicked him away for good measure.

That's when near-invisible wires began wrapping themselves all around Naruto, pinning to his arms to his sides. He looked over to see another Yuki-nin, roughly thirty-five and wearing a turban as opposed to a hood for some reason. On his hands were metallic like gloves, only with the finger portions opened, where the same near-invisible wires were seen.

"Heh heh heh!" the man chuckled sadistically. "We've got you this time, freak!" At that moment, another Yuki-Nin apppeared in front of Naruto and began bombarding the boy with punches.

Naruto gave another roar as he struggled against the wires unable to move an inch. "Heh heh heh!" the man chuckled again, waving his fingers around like a puppeteer. "Try all you want, freak. My Chakra Wires have you bound in more ways than one! I'm sucking the chakra right out of you! The more you struggle, the worse it'll become, heh heh heh!"

At that Naruto stopped struggling, causing both men to stop in sheer surprise. Had the boy given up?

Instead of pleas of submission or surrender, the boy began laughing. First it was low, then it gradually picked up strength until he was laughing like a lunatic.

"And what's so funny, freak?" the Snow Ninja, Kashira Tsukai, asked, not liking the fact the boy was giving off insane chuckling. That was _his_ forte!

At that, Naruto gave another loud roar. The wires began burning brightly as the deadly red chakra zipped down the lines right towards the metal gloves, where they too seemed to be getting redder and warmer. _He's overloading it!! _Tsukai shouted mentally as he began shaking his hands relentlessly. "HOTHOTHOTHOTHOT!!!!" he screamed, running around like a chicken with its head cut off before finally managing to get the gloves off and thrusting his hands into the snow.

"Ahhhh..." he said in content as the coldness swept over his burnt skin... right before Naruto kicked him square in the face.

He then turned his attention to the ninja who had used him for a punching bag. The man gave a nervous gulp but quickly ran through a series of seals as a large fiery disk appeared in his hand. "Katon: Hoenban no Jutsu!"

Throwing his arm back, the man hurled the fire discus at the blond, who merely grinned. He waited right until the fire attack was right on top of him before giving a loud yell, the intensity of the chakra around multiplying severalfold!

The fire discus stalled for but a moment, then quickly flew back the way it came! The ninja screamed in surprise as he bent backwards at a near-perfect 90-degree angle, the katon just grazing over his face. The man could practically taste the searing heat!

In the blink of an eye, Naruto was on top of him, driving his fist down on the man's face, right into the cold hard snow below. He quickly ran off to the left where he jumped into another man's face, nearly scaring him to death before delivering an assault of punches in less than three seconds. He planted both feet on the man's face and springboarded to another Yuki-Nin, ramming the shinobi in the stomach with both of his fists. Naruto landed on the ground, grabbed the Snow Ninja's wrists and spun him around four times before hurling into an incoming ninja, both colliding into each other rather abruptly.

That was when two kunai came flying towards him, which Naruto avoided with pitiful ease. That's when he noticed wires attached to them, coming from a Yuki-Nin wearing strange gauntlets. Seven more shinobi appeared all around him, all wearing identical gauntlets as each one fired a pair of kunai on wires. Naruto dodged all the shots at him as the kunai continued burying themselves all around him, with all the wires forming what looked like a spider's web with him in the middle.

The genin was about to jump out when electricity surged down the wires. Once it got close to Naruto, it broke off and struck the boy all over, making him roar in pain. The eight shinobi all began running clockwise around him as fast as they could, the wires binding around the lightning-shocked boy tighter and tighter with each round the Shinobi ran. After running around the Leaf ninja five times each, they stopped and pulled their arms backwards, holding the tightly bound boy in place as he continued to scream.

Four new ninja came in around him all wearing sunglasses. One in front, one from behind and two from different sides in the four cardinal directions as they tossed off their gloves and bit both of their thumbs before proceeding to slam their left hands on the ground, each one drawing a small quarter of a circle clockwise.

After that, the four newcomers slammed their right hands down by the blood markings. "Genbu of the North!" the one in front of Naruto shouted. "Seiryu of the East!" the shinobi shouted from the first ninja's left. "Suzaku of the South!" the one opposite of the first user, Hari, now conscious again, added and ended with "Byakko of the West!" by the final shinobi across from the one that said 'east'.

"Fuuinjutsu: Shijinjuu Torappu Reitouko!" they shouted simultaneously as kanji appeared at each of the four points, each one representing the mythological animal as light appeared in a full circle around Naruto, then evolving into a brilliant flash of light that blinded all but the four sunglasses-wearing ninja.

When the light faded, everyone looked over to see a large circular dome of ice, ten feet in diameter, in the middle of the twelve Snow Shinobi, with Naruto frozen solid right in the center! His face still showed signs of hate and fury and he seemed to be glowing red, as if his red demon-like chakra itself was frozen. The shinobi began discarding their Lightning Launcher Gauntlets due to their wires being frozen along with the Leaf boy, while the four sealers put one hand on the ice dome and the other on the ground. The redness around Naruto began to diminish, while the four Ninja gasped in pain as they forcibly extracted the red chakra around the boy, pushing it through their bodies and forcing it into the ground, where it dissipated harmlessly. The strain on the four sealers was considerable, though, due to the nature of this bizarre youki-like chakra.

Doto began gloating yet again as the red glow around Naruto disappeared altogether, returning both eyes from a fierce red to a beautiful blue. The shinobi at the 'south' end, Hari, finished her work as she rubbed the sweat off her forehead.

"So you managed to calm him down and bring him under control," said a voice unexpectedly as the kunoichi turned around and saw the Uchiha. "This will make things work out easier, thanks."

The Snow Shinobi gave a small nod. "No problem," Hari said simply as she returned to looking at the ice dome... then reality hit her head-on as she realized what she just did as she slouched in resignation. "Oh... damn it all..."

A second later, Sasuke slammed her face against the ice dome, knocking her out again, which drew the attention of all heads towards him. Sasuke merely jumped into the air and landed on the shoulders of two more Yuki-nin before using his feet and slamming their heads together. He then backflipped off of them and landed, just in time to drive his elbow into a charging Yuki-Nin. The Uchiha heir grabbed ahold of him and hurled him into an oncoming friend, sending both to the ground. Sasuke gave that smile of his again and held up a hand, beckoning the rest to come at him.

And like bees to a flower, they did, all giving a brief battle cry as they charged. As Sasuke fought against the shinobi, Sakura was half stumbling, half walking towards the ice dome, where she jammed a number of kunai, each with a pouch hanging from them, at several points. Once she lodged in the fifth one, she took a few careful steps back as made the tiger seal, bursting open the pouches. She withdrew and was about to throw a kunai with an exploding tag on it when she noticed that the Gyokuei clan member was still unconscious at the base of the ice dome. If she detonated the tags now, the kunoichi would likely be obliterated in the following explosion.

Sakura looked on the girl's form for a moment, then rolled her eyes and walked back over. She brushed the small notes off the kuniochi and dragged her away. _This is going to bite me in the ass... just you wait... _Sakura thought to herself getting back a safe distance before throwing the kunai at the ice dome. _Please let this work!_

Her kunai struck the ice dome and all the exploding tags ignited at once, drawing everyone's attention. As the smoke cleared, the ice dome was revealed to have many large cracks throughout it. Entire portions were blown off as well. Naruto, however, was still motionless in the middle, the nearest crack still a meter away. Not hesitating, Sakura ran forward was much as she was able to in her condition and threw her arms back.

"AAAAAHHHHH!!" she yelled as she punched the ice dome with all her might, the sound echoing all around her, as the cracks further increased, one reaching Naruto's right hand.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then his hand began moving. It began as a fist as more and more cracks all appeared around his body, until all the ice exploded outward like glass in a thousand directions as Naruto continued his earlier scream, as though nothing had happened. His left eye automatically closed yet again, but kept a completely pissed off look on his face.

He looked around and saw Sakura by the remains of the ice dome, as well as Sasuke surrounded by the remaining Snow Ninja. He gave them both a quick nod of acknowledgement. Reserves still full and anger high, he zipped across the field as his Oboro snapped up, hammering a Yuki-Nin in the face.

Sasuke renewed his attack as well, while Sakura took the moment to catch her breath while keeping a sharp eye on the ensuing melee, ready to jump in if she was required to, no matter how tired she was.

Naruto used his foot and slammed a Snow Shinobi's head in the ground, before being kicked in the back by another, which turned out to be a substitution. Naruto came from behind that ninja and elbowed him hard in the back. Another one came at his left side but was intercepted by Sasuke with a kick to the foe's chest. The Uchiha quickly skipped to the side, just dodging a Dragon Bullet before throwing several kunai with exploding tags in retaliation. An ice wall blocked the barrage, but both boys appeared on either side of the wall, slamming the Yuki-nin's head in between their fists.

A hailstorm of shuriken came at the two boys, both of whom blocked them easily as Naruto jumped up and kicked another Yuki-Nin, and Sasuke swept a second one off his feet, diverting his kick and slamming it into the man's chest, hitting him right towards Sakura, who smacked the teenager hard with a solid right hook.

"Fuuton: Tenkuu Sanpo!"

Sasuke spun on a dime to see an old man about his size coming straight at him at an unbelievable speed as the man jumped way too high into the air, repositioned himself and came straight down on Sasuke like a diving hawk, forcing the boy to jump back as the man's kick sliced Sasuke's shoulder. The boy gave a moan of pain as he looked at the man, snapping his Sharingan on, not caring how stupid that was.

Underneath the man's feet were intense bursts of air, keeping the old man several inches off the ground. The wind coverged into a blade-like fansion. _That explains how he cut me... _Sasuke thought irritably, holding his shoulder with his hand.

"Undignified young man," the old geezer, Ganko Oyaji, spoke in a wheezing voice. He reached into a pocket and took out a pill before swallowing it. "You saw my attack coming and you still didn't completely avoid it! Back in my day, when a shinobi saw such an attack, he'd attack in about three different ways and have - "

"Oh, shut up," the genin replied, not in the mood to listen to some old windbag's tales of his glory days. Crossing the distance in a matter of seconds, Sasuke leapt up, a kick aimed at the man's throat.

"Bureedo Kurumeku!**" **Oyaji began twirling on one foot rapidly, kicking out with his other one. In response, Sasuke formed and launched a Grand Fireball at the man. The old fool cut through the fireball, but left himself open as Sasuke landed a solid kick on the man's throat.

The man gagged as he hit the ground and rolled along it. He rubbed his throat as he slowly got to his feet, his eyes blazing. "Arrogant hotheaded young brat! Back in my day, _real _men knew how to kick so hard they'd leave their opponents completely unconscious, like I did to a Grass Ninja nearly fifty years ago when..."

Sasuke ignored him as he threw several kunai at the guy, who in turn took out a scroll and summoned two four-bladed axes, casually knocking away Sasuke's projectiles. "Hmph! Cut me off twice, will you young man!? Well, let me show you how it was done in the olden days! Just like I did to another hotheaded Leaf Ninja!"

With that, the axes began spinning around as Oyaji rushed Sasuke again. Though this time, when he was halfway to the boy, he made a kicking motion and a shuriken launched out of his boot! This caught Sasuke by surprise, barely able to avoid it hitting his throat, but still managing to cut his cheek. Oyaji slipped past him and kicked several more times, firing more shuriken as a result before running directly at Sasuke. The boy backflipped to dodge the next strike, nearly landing on top of a discarded katana in the process.

_Works for me._ He quickly snatched it up, holding the blade in front of him as Oyaji yelled "Tajuu Bureido Bakushin!"

Using his Sharingan (though it was almost unbearable to keep using it at this point, but he forced himself to anyway), he shifted out of the way of the shuriken as the man came at him with the axes while kicking furiously... and that was when Sasuke noticed his arms and legs stretching!

_What the... _He was barely able to avoid a direct hit from the axes by deflecting them with his sword. He jumped up and kicked the man's stretching legs out of the way, but not before Oyaji fired more shuriken, hitting Sasuke's already tender shoulder.

Both jumped away from each other as Sasuke breathed heavily. Why hadn't his Sharingan picked up that air stretching?! Did that mean it wasn't the result of Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, but something else? What?

The old man called out his Multi Blade Rush as he came directly at Sasuke. This time, Sasuke allowed himself to be outmaneuvered as the old geezer chased him around with a swarm of axe strikes, shuriken and slicing air while Sasuke blocked with his sword. Looking... searching for some sort of weaknesses or explanation...

A nasty blow nearly got him, causing Sasuke to fall backwards, his eyes settling on the ground and his eyes widening in realization what he saw.

The man's shadow was not stretching.

All the pieces clicked into place as he used a one-handed handspring and recovered himself as Oyaji came around at him again. This time, Sasuke stood his ground, his sword pointed outward towards the incoming human blade storm. "Stupid young fool! Back in my day, no shinobi would be stupid enough to stand like a moron while faced with imminent death, the likes the which you are about to experience in - "

As the axes came at Sasuke, he used his sword to parry the first one, elbowed the shaft of the second one, jumped over the shuriken and air strikes and finally hurled the base of his katana directly at the man's throat. The force shot him backwards like a cannon, and while in midair, Sasuke was right on top of him, his left leg reared up as he slammed the old fart against the ground as hard as he could.

Oyaji coughed out a fair amount of blood, swearing he felt his back give out as he lay on the ground, his weapons at his sides and his jutsu powered down. "You... saw... through it...?"

Sasuke just gave a nod. "You were using genjutsu. An illusion to make your limbs stretch that threw off my aim, even with the Sharingan."

The boy looked down and kicked the axes. "And that's how you were able to fool my eyes. The chakra you channeled into the weapons masked the genjutsu so I couldn't detect it. When I saw your shadow wasn't stretching with your arms, I figured it out."

Oyaji looked up at the boy and gave a small laugh. "Not bad boy... _almost _as good as the shinobi back in my day that..."

That's when Sasuke violently kicked the man in the face.

Satisfied the old windbag was out like a light, Sasuke found himself unable to keep his Sharingan on as he deactivated it, giving his eyes a good rub. _Okay... maybe turning it back on wasn't such a good idea..._

That was when he felt a chakra signature behind him. Sasuke moved to the side just in time to miss a large wooden mallet hitting the ground. Sasuke spun on his left heel, aiming a kick at the new attacker's face, but the ninja blocked it easily with his free hand.

This new guy was short, but also stout. Sasuke stood nearly a full head over him. He wore a blue Eskimo-like parka and wore two thick white gloves and thick gray boots. "Nice try, _Uchiha!"_ the Snow Shinobi said in a semi-arrogant tone. He grabbed ahold of Sasuke's foot and swung him around into the air... where Sasuke noticed another shinobi nearly identical to this guy, only this new one wore a pink parka. The girl smiled at him as she raised her own wooden mallet for an attack.

Only for Sakura to appear, kicking the Snow Kuniochi's face and sending her flying backwards past the other Snow Ninja.

"Sakura... what are..."

He didn't get a chance to finish as he noticed a long brown cable attached to the two shinobi. The 'blue eskimo' grabbed the cable and whipped it around like a bullwhip. His twin in the air whirled around as a result as the 'blue eskimo' hurled her right at Sakura, whose eyes widened as a result. "Nice try, pinky!!"

The 'pink eskimo' struck with her own mallet, which Sakura avoided barely. This didn't stop the Yuki-nin as she kicked Sakura's now exposed left side, sending her sailing to the ground, only to be caught by Sasuke a moment later as the male snow ninja jerked his cable back, allowing his twin to land right beside him soundly.

"Thanks," Sakura uttered as Sasuke placed her on the ground. She looked like she was barely able to stand and still bore many signs of pain and injuries. She even still had a fair amount of blood on her person thanks to that blood user. "Sakura, I think..."

A fist was centimeters from his face in an instant. "Yes?" Sakura asked 'sweetly'.

"... I'm going to like fighting by your side," Sasuke finished quickly in a monotone voice.

She put her fist down and Sasuke breathed out in relief. "Good." She slammed a fist into her hand. "Two on two makes more sense anyway."

At that, the Pink Eskimo Kunoichi spoke. "Two on two?! You two little lovebirds _(Lovebirds? _The two genin repeated awkwardly_)_ think you can beat my brother and I? You couldn't win against us in a hundred years! Right, Popo?"

Her twin gave a confident smirk. "Don't be too cocky, Nana! This is an almighty _Uchiha, _after all. And the two of them _have_ defeated many of our countrymen." He gave a glance at the two Leaf shinobi. "But I'd say you're right. These two look dead on their feet. The Uchiha can't even keep his fancy eyes on! I'd say they are ours for the taking! And I'll beat them down before you can!"

The one called Nana barked a laugh. "Sure you will! And spring will come!"

At that moment, Sasuke struck, throwing a hail of kunai and shuriken at the two. Both just casually swung their mallets at the weapons, turning them all to ice and knocking the now frozen weapons right back at the two.

Both the Leaf Ninja ducked to avoid the strike as Popo hurled Nana at the two, a wide grin on her face as she lifted her mallet over her head. "Feel my Frozen Hell Hammer, suckers!!!"

With that, Nana began furiously swinging her hammer around in a bizarre Whack-A-Leaf like game. After watching her movements for a while, Sasuke leapt forward and clasped the hammer's shaft. "Jerkface, let go!" Nana roared in anger.

"Um, no," Sasuke replied simply as Sakura came in from the left at Nana... only for a large ice block to come out of nowhere, nearly hitting her and forcing her to back off.

"Don't forget!" Popo cried from his spot as he swung his own Frozen Hell Hammer around like an expert croquet player. "There's _two of us_!" Suddenly, ice appeared out of thin air right in front of the hammer as Popo hit it dead on, sending another ice block at the two leaf nin.

_He's freezing the moisture in the air! _Sasuke thought to himself as he backed off from Nana to avoid the incoming ice missiles. _That hammer... it freezes whatever it hits... just like that Ice Fist user I fought! _

While Popo kept lobbing ice block after ice block at Sasuke, Nana went after Sakura, swinging her hammer madly. "I've got you, my pretty!" the Snow Kunoichi cackled.

_She's a female version of Naruto... _the Haruno thought miserably, grabbing some snow off the ground and flinging it at the other kunoichi's face. Nana merely laughed it off, deliberately allowing the snow to hit her and not the least bit fazed by it. "Oh please, give me some credit... I live in the freakin' _SNOW _country!"

Sakura knew that, but it was just to stall for a few seconds as formed her Rock Gloves on her hands, using her right fist to smash to the Frozen Hell Hammer. She was shocked to see her rock glove immediately freeze over, but it also moved the hammer out of the way. The genin ditched her right glove as she jumped her opponent, left fist ready.

Nana, however, continued whirling her hammer around, exchanged hands with it behind her back, and then continued her unbroken swing to the pink-haired girl's exposed left side, making Sakura back off. "Aisu Himatsu!"

A portion of her hammer opened up, spraying a blast of water right at Sakura, covering her left arm. "T-that's cold!"

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, looking over at the two kunoichi, distraught.

"Don't forget about_ me, _Uchiha! _I'm _here too!" Popo yelled, which prompted Nana to grab the cord with her free hand. She gave a yell as she swung her twin with all her might. Popo flew towards Sasuke like a bullet, with Sasuke ducking the hammer at the last second.

But that didn't stop Popo. Without hesitation, he shifted the hammer in his hand and jabbed the handle into Sasuke's stomach hard. The boy tenderly held his stomach as Popo punched him in the face. At the same instance, Nana jumped up and kicked Sakura across the head with a roundhouse kick.

Both leaf ninja hit the ground right beside each other. Sasuke blocked out the pain as he looked up, both of the twins in the air. "Heads up!"

Both managed to just get out of the way as the two hammers smashed down on the ground. "My arm!" Sakura shouted as Sasuke looked in disbelief. It was almost completely frozen over!

At that, the twins gave a gloating laugh. "That's what being hit with our Ice Spray will do to you, sucker!"

"Let's give them a _real _headache!" the other one said as they both jumped backwards away. That's when Sasuke saw a Yuki-nin out of the corner of his eye. He was going after Koyuki and her last Naruto bodyguard hadn't noticed!

"Furoozun Are!" Popo said as he began swinging Nana around and around as she activated the Ice Spray jutsu again, sending freezing water in all directions!

Sasuke quickly blew out a Goukakyuu before quickly throwing down a smokebomb over him and his teammate. The Frozen Tempest water hit the smokescreen and plowed through it. Once it cleared, however, the two Leaf nin were nowhere to be seen.

"Where'd they go!?" Popo demanded, looking around frantically.

"I'll find them first!" Nana declared, already running off in search.

"Like hell!" And the latest challenge was on!

At where Koyuki was (hiding behind a tree) with her clone bodyguard in front of her, the Yuki-Nin, an expert at stealth, quickly moved towards Koyuki, determined to grab her and bring her to Doto! He would be the most decorated shinobi in the village for bringing in the princess!

That's when a Sasuke Shadow Clone rushed from the nearby brush, dropping to the ground and kicking the man in the chin. "Shishi Rendan!" it shouted, drawing both the attention of clone and princess. As they both sailed up, Sasuke whirled around and slammed his fist into the Yuki-Nin's throat.

As the man gagged for air, the Shadow Clone spun around again and punched him in the chest. The blow was strong enough to knock any air his opponent's lungs out. Now unable to move, the man could only helplessly watch as the clone performed one final axe-kick to his abdomen. The force of the kick combined with the collision to the ground was nearly enough to make the man believe his spine had snapped in two.

The Sasuke kage bunshin landed, while the Naruto one looked at him. "_I_ could have done that."

"You're welcome," the other clone retorted.

As for the genuine article, he and Sakura were hiding behind a snow dune. "Damn," Sasuke swore as he tried to catch his breath, debating if he should chance using either his Sharingan or Curse Seal again. He currently had a Faiatama in his hands, trying to thaw out the ice on Sakura's left arm. The girl was just staring off into space.

"They're like the triplets..." she said finally

"Loud, obnoxious and annoying?"

She shook her head. "They're teamwork is flawless. They cover each other the entire time, even when they're fighting separate opponents, always looking out for their partner." She hesitated, then looked directly into Sasuke's eyes. "And we're not."

"We've been covering each other," Sasuke reminded her as he finished on her arm.

She pulled her arm back and flexed her fingers a few times, testing it out. "We've been reacting. Seeing a problem at a moment's notice and then charging in. We're not fighting together as a team... like we should be," She said that last part almost in a whisper, as they she was hesitant to say it.

Sasuke met her gaze with his own. She better not be saying what he thought she was going to say. _He _had been making an effort to patch things up between them, she was the one that kept putting it off and not making any sort of effort. So she _better _not be suggesting this was somehow his fault.

"... can you let me fight at your side like a true partner?" the girl asked finally.

Well... that wasn't what he expected, since she was asking him and not blaming him. Sasuke almost had a mind to bring up the issue again, but decided not to. Talking sincerely in the midst of an all out fight wasn't the smartest thing to do.

So he nodded. "Yes. You have a plan?"

"I think so." And she told him.

As for the twins, they were carefully scouting out the area looking for their opponents. If the two had really decided to run off after defeating all those other Snow Ninja, then they really must be at their limits. Either that, or Popo and Nana were just that good. An amusing thought to think about.

As part of the Eggplant Family – due to their insatiable appetite for eggplants – they were held to higher standards as near every generation had produced near legendary ninja. The past eight generations produced large powerful men who wielded a pair of the legendary Frozen Hell Hammers.

However, when Popo and Nana had been born for this generation, they had been considered had an oddity, as they were fraternal twins who grew into shorter stout people as opposed to the large and stronger members of their family. This made them viewed as unsuited to wield the family Hammers.

From birth, Popo was the favored one, as it was always the male who carried the fighting genes. However, instead of a single monster of a fighter, the two were near below the average shinobi came to being. To many of the family, it only proved further that Nana and Popo were unsuited for their family legacy.

Since the two were constantly at each other's throats with relentless arguing and hatred for each other, this was believed to be the reason why they were performing so poorly.

This was proven false during a certain incident years later. Nana was to be taken to the Hidden Mist Village as part of the treaty between Mist and Snow. What no one expected was Popo's reaction, as he rushed to his sister's aid without a second thought. Together, the two fought on levels unseen previously against the Mist shinobi, defeating all seven of them. Including one of their legendary Mist Swordsmen!

A week later, the Frozen Hell Hammers were given to the two as they were finally deemed worthy of them, and a new force was created for the Snow Country. And the twins had no intention of losing the acknowledgement of their family! Not now, not ever!

That's when two silhouettes jumped out from behind a snow dune. It was the two lovebirds! "Popo! You're on!" Nana shouted happily, grabbing the chakra cable and swinging her brother at the two. The ninja swung his hammer down on the two with as much brute force he could manage... only for the two to shimmer out of existence.

"Bunshins!?" the twins exclaimed.

"You're half right." They turned around to see the Uchiha standing by the fallen Oyaji, picking up a discarded katana. "After-image for me," Sasuke stated, holding his blade out in front of him. He swung it to his side and charged forward, but Popo reacted by grabbing the cable and swinging Nana over his head like a lasso. "He's all yours, sis!"

Nana flew towards the boy and attacked with her own hammer, which Sasuke blocked with his katana, making sure to hit the shaft part. He had hoped to cut through it, but to his surprise he didn't so much as scratch it.

"Chakra protection," Nana bragged, sticking her tongue out as she pressed her weight down on the hammer, making sure the Uchiha couldn't dodge her again.

Popo came running up from the other side, his own hammer ready when a barrage of kunai and shuriken came right at him, forcing him to jump backwards. "What the hell?"

A distance back, Sakura was watching like a hawk, more shuriken ready in her left hand while her right hung low at her side. She was more tired than Sasuke and not able to keep up as easily, so she had taken all his kunai and shuriken and was providing support for him from the rear.

"Good, but not good enough!" Popo taunted, easily dodging her next projectiles as he shot backwards, then to the side and resumed his charge on the Uchiha, who had just tried to punch Nana. The kunoichi, not wanting to loosen her pressure on the boy, merely took it, clenching her teeth in pain. Popo was now only a meter away from Sasuke as he readied his hammer again. "Payback is here, punk shit!"

In response, Sasuke merely smirked.

Popo swung his Frozen Hell Hammer at the boy, who at the last minute was jerked backwards by some unseen force, pulling him out of the way and shocking both twins as Popo accidentally collided with his sister. Both quickly recovered and gasped at what they saw.

A water-like rope was tied around Sasuke's waist. The other end was held by Sakura's right hand.

"CHEATERS!!!" Popo and Nana cried out in sheer rage. "COPIERS!!! THAT'S _**OUR **_MOVE!!!"

"Uchiha," Sasuke replied, like that justified everything. At that, Sakura made a pushing move and her water whip shot Sasuke towards the two in an unexpected burst of speed. Using his katana, he batted both Frozen Hell Hammers away, and then kicked Popo across the face, right into his sister again. Before they had a chance to recover, Sasuke leapt and struck down with his sword on their cable connecting the two.

Only it didn't break.

"This too?" Sasuke said in disbelief. "You're _fucking _kidding me!!"

That shocked moment was all Nana and Popo needed to get back in the game. Popo charged in from the right, while Nana came to Sasuke's left. Mallet and sword clashed on the left side, as Sasuke sidekicked Nana, who avoided it with the help of her twin.

Rebounding on the ground, she charged again, only for a kunai with an exploding tag to intercept her path. But Nana was expecting that as she activated the Ice Spray again, freezing the weapon in place, then batting it right at Sasuke.

Caught by surprise, Sasuke had to use his headband to deflect it. Taking advantage of the distracted Uchiha, Popo attacked from the blindside. Sakura instantly pulled Sasuke backwards again as Popo used his own Ice Spray. Thanks to Sakura, he missed, but Nana quickly came at Sasuke again, her hammer poised.

Sasuke had no choice as he kicked the hammer portion with his right foot. While it diverted Nana and made her back off, Sasuke's foot was now soaking wet... which meant it would be frozen very soon and drastically reducing his ability to move.

"We've got you this time, Uchiha!" both twins shouted with joy as Popo began whirling Nana once again for the Frozen Tempest move. Sakura realized this and was about to pull him back to safety, but stopped when she saw Sasuke's face. His face was filled with confidence and resolution. He had a plan.

There was but a brief moment of hesitation where Sakura considered pulling him back anyway, but she quickly shook it off as she knew what she had to do. _Alright... I'll trust you on this... Sasuke..._

Trust, after all, was a crucial part of teamwork.

As if in slow motion, Sasuke raised his katana in front of him while Nana spun in the air, the deadly water ready to spray in mere moments. What Sasuke intended to do would destroy his newly acquired blade in a matter of seconds.

But that meant that for a few seconds, it would work!

"Furoozun Are!" the eggplant lovers yelled together as the water sprayed down towards Sasuke.

In response, Sasuke channeled fire into his blade again. The metal turned a deep red and the heat it was giving off was immense. Sasuke gave a yell as he slashed through the water with his blade. The force was so powerful, it evaporated nearly _half _all of the water Nana was spraying at him!

Sakura saw her chance at that very moment, thrusting the Water Whip once again with all her might. For a second time, Sasuke sprang forward, raising his heated sword and slashing across the chest of a very surprised Popo. Nana screamed in fear as Popo's eyes rolled back and he fell face first in the snow, which dampened and lessened the wound he had just taken.

"_YOU BASTARD!!" _Nana shouted as she landed, coming right at Sasuke as the boy's foot was now frozen. She was going to crush this boy's skull but good!

Sasuke, already anticipating her next move, had already grabbed the water whip and jerked hard. A second before the hammer hit the unmoving boy, Sakura soared forward and struck Nana hard across the face with a fist.

The Yuki-nin hit the ground hard as Sakura kicked off the ground and slammed her right foot in the Snow Shinobi's stomach.

Nana gave a soundless cry of pain before blacking out. Sakura still checked just to be sure. Satisfied, she walked back to Sasuke, letting the water whip dissolve. "You okay?"

Sasuke merely nodded as he looked at his sword, now bent out of shape and useless like the other one. He snorted in disgust as he tossed it to the side. Seeing no one coming at them, he sat down and examined his foot.

The girl kneeled down, her hand glowing with a weak Faiatama again as she waved it over his right foot. "Sorry I wasn't fast enough."

"You did what you could," Sasuke replied as she looked at him. He then did something that she hadn't seen often before.

He smiled.

"And what you did was perfect," the Uchiha said.

Sakura just returned a grateful smile at him. It seemed like a heavy weight had been taken off her. "Thanks."

At the other end of the field, Naruto just took down yet another Yuki-Nin. He had a bright smile on his face because he felt utterly refreshed! He wasn't in pain, having to deal with chakra depletion or anything! He felt like he could kick Snow Ninja ass all day long! "In fact, I think I will!" Naruto shouted loudly as he chuckled to himself.

That's when he noticed a huge chuck of rock over his head. He merely held out a hand as a Rasengan popped to life within it and slammed it against the rock, bursting it into a million pieces. _Is this all they've got?_

His question was answered as a Snow Ninja appeared from behind the debris, wielding a Multi-Staff. "Fool," he said as he thrust his staff downward. Immediately, all the rock fragments shot towards Naruto.

"Kaze Tate!" The wind shield sprang to life at his command, its furious winds blazing like a maelstrom and flinging all the useless rock fragments away. The Yuki-Nin landed on the ground, jabbing it profoundly with his Multi-Staff. A rock stalagmite erupted right underneath the boy.

Naruto just chuckled as he cut off his jutsu and took a small step backward, the rock just missing him by a centimeter. "Missed!" he yelled brightly.

The Yuki-nin's eyes burned with rage as he made a sweeping motion with his staff, flinging a large boulder at the boy.

Naruto just sidestepped it, put his hands by his ears, stuck out his tongue and began making faces at the man. "Your aim sucks!"

The man nearly blew his top off as he began throwing boulder after boulder. Naruto jumped from side to side, avoiding each one and making a new face at the jerk. The man yelled a not so polite word as he rammed the staff with both hands into the ground and hurled a _huge _boulder at Naruto. Easily 50 meters in diameter.

Naruto just looked up at it. "Wow. Big," he said in an almost bored voice. He then ran towards the thing and jumped on it, using chakra in his feet to attach himself to the boulder. He then ran across the surface of it towards the top. Once he got there, he jumped off it right towards the man, who jabbed his weapon upwards.

Immediately, a number of large angled spikes erupted towards Naruto. The blond simply caught the foremost spike, flipped over it and began running down it towards the shinobi, lunging with a kick.

The Multi-Staff turned from a heavy brown to a solid blue as Naruto kicked the staff... and promptly slid off it, landing hard on the ground. "What the...?"

Before he could say another word, the man heaved his weapon upward and water burst from underneath Naruto towards the sky like a water sprout. "Whoa! Cool!" Naruto shouted as the water stream continued to blast him upwards. At about ten meters high, it did a quick U-Turn and headed back downward to crush the boy along the ground like a bug.

Naruto deliberately waited for the last second and then performed a quick replacement jutsu. As the log was destroyed in his place, he came running from behind the man, kicking him hard across the head. "Missed again!" Naruto said cheerfully.

The man hit the ground with a thump, but got back up. "I'm gonna to split open your stomach, rip out your guts and shove them down that damn mouth of yours!!"

He made a swinging motion and water from the lake behind Naruto spat out numerous spear-like attacks at the boy. So to counter, Naruto ran directly towards the man himself.

The man's eyes shot wide open as the attacks were coming at him as well. Grudgingly, he canceled them out as he whirled his staff over his head and swung downward at Naruto, who merely leaped up and landed on the guy's head, then landed behind him.

"And that's strike three," Naruto said pleasantly as the man turned around so fast Naruto thought he would get whiplash, steam shooting out of the man's ears in rage.

"Well, since you seem to be a _tad _bit angry, I'll give you one more shot." Naruto held up both of his hands and gestured for him to come. "Let's see your best."

Promising another disembowelment threat, he twirled his staff over his head several times and then lunged forward. The water erupted into a large Hydra-like serpent, its mouth wide and itching to take a bite out of the boy. Naruto began casually skipping backwards, before he saw the Multi-Staff become the brown color again as he made several rising motions.

To his right, left and back, large slabs of earth rose, boxing him in with the only way out being forward... directly into the incoming Hydra.

He decided to have a bit more fun as he formed a Rasengan in each hand and promptly slammed both of them into the incoming water hydra.

The entire thing exploded violently as a result, throwing water in every direction imaginable and soaking both combatants quite throughly. The man just looked at the sight in absolute malice, allowing Naruto to zip right up to his face with another trademark smile.

"And you're out," Naruto said as he laid waste to the man in a barrage of punches and kicks.

Once he was done, the man just stood there for a split second, covered in many lumps and brusies before crashing down to the ground, his legs flinging into the air.

He was still in such a good mood he _almost _didn't notice another Yuki-Nin coming up right behind him. He didn't even have to do anything because Sasuke appeared with a powerful kick to the man's jaw, sending him flying.

"I could have taken him," Naruto said brightly as he allowed his Oboro to fade, while Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He stopped as he looked past Naruto's shoulder, resulting in Naruto looking in the same direction.

Five Yuki-Nin were about twenty meters away, all of them preparing a jutsu at once. Naruto and Sasuke fully turned to them as they shot their hands out to the side.

In Naruto's right hand was a Rasengan.

In Sasuke's left hand was the Faiatama.

The boths pushed the two attacks together as the Rasengan energy began swirling with the fire power of Sasuke's Katon. The hybrid attack gave off massive amounts of energy as both boys pitched their arms back and threw them forward.

The hybrid Rasengan shot through the air just as the five Snow Shinobi launched their own jutsu. Before either boy could tell what they were, the hybrid Rasengan slammed into them, resulting in a superheated explosion. It easily demolished whatever jutsu the Snow Ninja had been using and the shockwaves sent the five ninja flying through the air as they screamed for their mommies before landing. Two landed in the snow banks, two in the trees and one right beside Doto on top of the train. The man's eyes just narrowed dangerously.

Sakura cautiously made her way over to the two boys. All around the area lay dozens defeated Snow Ninja, all of them out like a light and wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. Fifty Snow Ninja had...

They jerked out of their thoughts as they saw one Snow Ninja struggle to his feet. It had been the one Sasuke had just kicked.

"Damn it," Naruto swore, crossing his arms. "And I was just about to start celebrating." He shot a look at the Uchiha.

"Like it's my fault," Sasuke replied while Sakura just sighed as a result.

The ninja, Kugi, got to his feet as he looked directly at the three Leaf Genin. "You..." he said, drawing out each word "Worthless. Little. _FLEAS. _I'm going to crush you like the insignificant specks of dust you are!"

"Yeah. Sure," Naruto waved him off. "Look around you, baka. We've taken down 49 of your fellow countrymen. There's _nothing _you can do that could possibly defeat us now."

Kugi raised an eyebrow. "Oh _really_?" He held up his right thumb and reopened the cut as he ran through the five seals and slammed his hand on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A third polar bear made its appearance, this one by the name of Rubi. It gave a loud roar as Kugi jumped on its back, forming another chain of seals then slamming his hand on Rubi's back. "Ninpou: Yeti!"

Kugi began sinking into the bear itself until he disappeared entirely. The polar bear gave another roar as it got on its hindlegs. Its knees shifted around 180 degrees as the legs thickened with muscle and the paws began to resemble feet. Its front legs also thickened with muscles, but the paws became more like hands while still retaining the deadly claws on each fingertip. The head began widening out into a mixture of a human and bear head.

It was a Yeti.

Or close enough to it anyway.

The Yeti gave a loud roar as it flexed its new arms. Both Sasuke and Sakura shot a look at Naruto. "What?" he said defensively. "It's not_ that _bad. He looks more like a pussy than a bear. Kiba and Akamaru already do that."

"**Still not taking me seriously!?"** the Yeti shrieked, speaking in a deep Kugi voice as it put its hands together in a strange, yet seemingly familiar seal. "**Try this on for size then! Cho Baika no Jutsu!**"

What?! Wasn't that...!?

The Snow Yeti began growing. Larger and larger. It shot past twenty meters. Then thirty. Fifty. And it still didn't finish growing as it pushed to Gamabunta's height of roughly a hundred meters tall.

The trio of Leaf genin just reared their heads back looking at the new foe. "Naruto... I _hate _you... so much..." Sakura said.

"Why?" Naruto asked, not taking his eye off of the giant Yeti.

That's when Sakura violently grabbed Naruto by the collar and shook him. "YOU JUST _HAD _TO EGG HIM ON, DIDN'T YOU!?! YOU COULDN'T KEEP YOUR DAMN TRAP SHUT!!"

"B-B-But... I-I... was j-j-just... telling the... t-truth!" Naruto pleaded amongst the shaking. Sasuke just gave a small shake of his head.

"**You are in so much trouble now!" **Kugi roared down at them. "**Four years ago, I defeated an Akimichi during a mission! Before I killed him, I broke him and got him to spill several of his clan's precious jutsu! How fitting that you will now be killed by a move from your own damned village! As such, I hereby promote you from fleas to ants!!" **With that, Kugi raised a foot and proceeded to stomp them.

Team 7 jumped to different sides, just missing the giant foot. "Spread out! Don't give him an easy target!" Sasuke shouted as he reached for some kunai... only to remember he gave them all to Sakura. "Crud... probably wouldn't have made a difference anyway..."

The Yeti raised its other foot as it proceeded to stomp Sasuke, only for about ten kunai with exploding tags to hit the leg. Kugi gave a roar of pain, like he had stubbed his toe as he turned his gaze to Naruto. "**Fine, Ant! You first!"**

Kugi raised a fist, punching downward at Naruto. He missed the initial blow, but the debris kicked up hit Naruto dead on, flinging him to the ground. He rolled along and got to his feet just in time to see a giant hand coming for him.

So instead of running, he jumped towards the hand, forming a Kaze Kiwa in each hand as he slammed it into the white furred hand. Kugi shrieked again as he began shaking his hand furiously, trying to lessen the pain.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted while the giant was distracted. The raven-haired boy gave a nod as he ran towards him.

"**Like I'll let you use that fire bomb jutsu again!" **the Yeti shouted, ignoring its stung hand as it lifted its right foot again. "**Die like the ants you are!!"**

Both boys jumped in the air to avoid his step. Sasuke quickly picked up yet another sword from the ground and to the Snow Ninja's surprise, Naruto formed the Tatewaru as Sasuke jumped towards it. Naruto punched Sasuke's foot and shot him forward as the boy leveled the blade, stabbing the monstrous Yeti in the lower left rib cage.

Kugi flinched, much like one would with a bee sting as Sakura appeared from the other side, throwing three kunai with pouches at his right foot, followed by a regular kunai with exploding tag.

The makeshift Yeti just got an unpleasant case of hot foot as it began bouncing around on its left leg, rubbing it in agony.

Sasuke yanked his sword out and jumped back to the ground. Once there, he fired several Goukakyus and Shuurais, hitting the man beast each time in the chest.

"**You're a pesky little fire ant, aren't you!?" **Kugi roared as he proceeded to play Stomp-The-Sasuke with his right foot. "**Hold still and let me squash you!!"**

Sasuke just answered with Housenka no Jutsu.

That's when Kugi noticed both Sakura and Naruto running up on his sides. So the Uchiha had just been a distraction! The other two were already up to his shoulders as he made a move to grab them. They both jumped as a counter and reared their fists back, punching his jaw as hard as they could. Sakura from the left, Naruto from the right.

Kugi yelled in pain again as he attempted to slap the sides of his face, which both Leaf Ninja had hoped for as they dropped downward.

The Ninja, however, only lightly slapped his face. Enough to have seriously hurt the two, but not enough to actually hurt himself. "**What kind of fool do you take me for!?**" the Yeti roared as both Sakura and Naruto fell to the ground. Sasuke leaped up and caught hold of Sakura.

Naruto landed on his head.

He jumped to his feet, carefully nursing the large goose egg on the top of his head. "Yeah... save the _girlfriend, _why don't ya?"

Naruto suddenly found himself with several more lumps. "Owowowow!"

"**Shut up and die, ants!" **Kugi roared as he jumped high into the air. Team 7 immediately realized what he was up to as they took off running. "**You won't avoid this!**" Kugi promised as he fell earthward, his shadow casting over the three genin.

That's when Naruto quickly formed the seals for the Wind Thrust and blew it out as powerful as he could make it. As he flew by, he grabbed both of his teammates arms as they flew just past the falling Yeti. "**Curse you!!**" Kugi roared as he hit the ground hard. He reached out with his right hand, but missed. However, it did allow him to get back on his feet before Team 7 could attack him while he was down.

The stood in a line as they looked up at him, determination in each of their faces. Kugi just looked back. What were they planning now?

Sakura suddenly grabbed Naruto's left arm with both hands and began spinning him around before throwing him directly at Kugi. She repeated this with Sasuke a moment later.

"**Ha! Ha! Ha! Fools! Idiots! Morons! Ants!" **Kugi ranted as he held up his hands at an incoming Naruto. "**I can easily catch you when you come right...**"

"Raiden!" Naruto shouted, producing a blinding flash of light. While he was only halfway up, it was still enough for Kugi to get an eyeful. The Yeti yelled in pain as it covered its eyes and threw its head back.

Naruto was beginning to fall back to earth, but he reached out and clasped Sasuke's arm. "He's all yours!" Naruto said as he threw Sasuke at Kugi's face.

Sasuke was already forming seals. "I'm borrowing this, Naruto! Tatewaru!" Sasuke's right arm was encased with the powerful Shieldbreaker move as he closed in on Kugi's face and slammed the deadly fuuton into the man's chin as hard as he could.

Kugi's head jerked back further, his own body jerking backward a bit.

Naruto kept falling back to earth, while Sakura jumped up as high as she could to reach him. They met halfway as Naruto landed on the leaf kunoichi's outstretched right leg.

"AAAHHAHH!!" Sakura kicked her leg as hard as she could, sending Naruto flying towards Kugi's right knee. Once again, he formed a powerful chakra orb in each hand. "RASENGAN!!!" he shouted as he slammed the two orbs into the man's knee, shattering it.

Kugi's right leg buckled, his left foot raising into the air slightly.

At the moment Naruto struck, Sakura landed on the ground and took off running as fast as she could towards the man's right foot. She threw her arms back, putting all her might into this next strike.

"FALL!!!" She ran right up to his foot and punched it as hard as she could as Naruto landed on the ground.

The foot tilted just enough for Kugi to lose his balance, unable to prevent himself from falling backwards on the ground with a monstrous crash.

Sasuke touched the ground a moment later. As one, Team 7 all ran at the downed Yuki-nin before he could recover. Sasuke running on the man's left side, Naruto on top of the man and Sakura on the right. They all coverged on the man's neck and raised their legs.

"Hasai Ashige!" Team 7 screamed in unison, heel-kicking the man right in the throat as hard as they could.

Kugi gave yet another scream of pain as Team 7 jumped off.

For a moment nothing happened. Then Kugi began shrinking down back to normal size. When he returned to his original size, Kugi seemingly fell out of Rubi, the merger completely undone.

The Giant Yeti had been defeated!

Gasps from inside the train were heard. Team 7 just defeated FIFTY Snow Ninja! Bloodline Users! Clan Secret Users! Ninja armed with Snow Tech and those with unique skills! Even a giant freakin' Yeti!

Doto gave a furious yell as he slammed a fist into the side railing of his train. "Arm the kunai launchers!" he shouted as he pointed past Team 7. "And fire at _Koyuki_!"

If any of the Snow Ninja questioned the orders, they didn't show it because the sides of the seven car train all burst open once again with Koyuki in the direct line of fire. But by firing at Koyuki, Team 7 would have no choice but to block in front of her! Tired as they were, they wouldn't last long against a wall of kunai! He'd fire again and again until they were nothing but human pincushions like Sandayuu and his samurai!

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all seemed to grasp this immediately as they all leapt back towards Koyuki, forming a line in front of her in that order. They were joined by both the Naruto and Sasuke Kage Bunshin on the real Sakura's right and real Naruto's left respectively.

And they all began performing seals.

At that, Kiganai and Ikusa got a very bad feeling. They quickly abandoned their positions and fled the train, taking cover a good distance away.

"_**FIRE!!!**__"_ Doto commanded and a wall of kunai was launched as Team 7 finished their seals.

Kage Bunshin Sasuke. "Katon: Karyuu Kyuuzou!"

Real Naruto. "Fuuton: Kaze Oshiyaru!"

Real Sasuke. "Raiton: Shuurai no Jutsu!"

Sakura. "Doton: Daichi Kobura no Jutsu!"

Kage Bunshin Naruto. "Suiton: Booruban Mizu Dangan no Jutsu!"

Fire. Wind. Lightning. Earth. Water. All the five primary elements fired forth from a member of Team 7. Alpha Team, Gamma Team and the movie crew all looked on with awe and wonder. Seeing such a thing, five elements all at once, was like seeing a thing of legend right in front of their eyes in a sheer display of power! No one, except witnessing a Biju unleashed perhaps, ever expected to see such a sight!

Makino would later aptly name this the Tenshiarashi. Element Storm.

The five-prong jutsu attack burst through the kunai like they were never there, striking the train in several different places. The Katon hit the locomotive itself, while the Fuuton, Raiton, Doton and Suiton struck the kunai launchers, making them collapse inward as the jutsu tore through them in complete devastation.

A single second later, the entire train exploded in a fabulous fireball twice the size of Gamabunta and nearly three times as wide. The ninja that had been inside it were flung outwards from the explosion, screaming their heads off as they hit the ground in undignified ways.

"WAAAAAHHHH!!!"

That voice belong to Doto himself as he flipped relentlessly through the air landing right in the middle of the field in a large clump of snow burying him completely from the waist up, leaving only his legs to see.

"Oh my..."

"No. Fucking. Way."

"I don't believe it."

Doto's pants had been completely singed off, revealing Icha Icha underwear.

Icha... Icha... _UNDERWEAR..._

"And cut!" Makino roared from his position, howling with laughter.

_In approximately two and a half years later, all the scenes collected from this mission would be made into a motion picture entitled Princess Gale and the Konoha no Gogyou. There would be two scenes that would be heavily talked about the movie the most. People would argue on which of the two they would enjoy most. This scene or the other one._

_Regardless of which one people liked more, this scene would have an immense impact upon the shinobi world. For while the future Kasai Taka, Kaze Kitsune and Aka Sakura would not be called such for years yet, this is the scene that started it all. This was the moment that led three seemingly normal and talented genin to the status of legend and renown. This was the moment that would bring forth a new legend for the coming generation._

_This was the birth of the Konoha no Gogyou!_

* * *

(Author's Note)

Done! Done at last! I'm so happy! PARTY!!! ^_^

Oh... you would not believe how long this took me to finish! Months of effort and writing and planning and it's finally paid off! When I originally started thinking of this idea all the way back in the early chapters, I honestly thought it wouldn't take very long. Only ten, fifteen pages tops even with all the jutsu I would be collecting.

This chapter came out to 73 pages with 57,175 words.

You all may laugh at my utter stupidity and naivety regarding how long I thought this chapter would take. I did many a time over the course I was writing, ha ha!

I had many things planned out, such as the Gyokuei clan and it's abilities, and the Reigi fight. Even the Giant ending portion. And most especially the ending with Team 7 firing five blasts to destroy the train. Though a big thanks to Ultra Sonic 007 for saving me the trouble of having to name it! I took many inspirations from various sources as well, One Piece being the most used.

When I first started working on the chapter, I first did a full week of planning and research for it. I wanted this to be as perfect as possible and avoid some common... let's call them... misdirections... in fiction. Both real and fan.

What I'm talking about are things like "The Principal of Evil Marksmanship" (also known as the Stormtrooper Effect) states that enemy marksmen in action films are often very bad shots and almost never harm the main characters. The term was coined by film critic Roger Ebert in the 1980s, as part of his "Little Movie Glossary", and defined it as:

"The bad guys are always lousy shots in the movies. Three villains with Uzis will go after the hero, spraying thousands of rounds which miss him, after which he picks them off with a handgun. "

Other similar ideas are the "One-at-a-time Attack Rule" (In any situation where the hero is alone, surrounded by dozens of bad guys, they will always obligingly attack one at a time) and Redshirt (Character) is a slang term for a minor role stock character whose primary purpose in the plot of a story is to die soon after being introduced, thus demonstrating the dangerous circumstances faced by the main characters. The term originates from the science fiction television series Star Trek and is taken from the red shirts worn by security officers. On Star Trek, anonymous security officers often accompany main characters on dangerous missions where they meet their death. (Definitions come from Wikipedia)

Granted, I did feature a lot of one on one fights so I could give more emphasis to a character and what fighting moves they used, but I also hoped I put in a enough 'gang ups' to where it just wasn't fifty one-on-one matches. I'll let you all decide how successful I was.

Now, in my opinion, there are two obvious flaws with the chapter. The first is the length, but hey, I said I would do it all in one chapter and I do what I say I'm gonna do, damn it!

The second is Team 7. Admittedly, I stretched out their endurance a bit too unrealistically. My only defense is that when you have fifty guys out to kill you all at once, it's going to push you to give 200% of your all. But hey, if Eiichiro Oda can do it in One Piece, so can I!!

There are two things I believe are required for a Shinobi village. The first is a legendary figure in the village's history, recent times perferable. The Sannin are an excellent example of this. The second is the village's own 'clowns'. Shinobi who are a bit... quirky and odd. Lee and Gai would be a good example of this type. For this story, I'd say I'd have several characters to fit the first requirement, such as the Yuki-Sannin, Doto, even Mikata. And with this chapter, I'd say I'd forfilled the second requirement with Yashinka, the Mitsugo Brothers and others.

As for the Snow Ninja themselves, I hope we all got to see an ample showing of Yukigakure as a whole with their different clans, jutsu and characters. One thing I do want to make clear is that while the Hidden Snow Village is full of technological pansies (as I showed in previous chapters), it is still a shinobi village. Home to many powerful and strong shinobi. I tried to emphasis this with the Reigi portion of the fight, showing that there are shinobi that are perfectly capable of defeating Team 7. And even a handful able to outright own them. So if I haven't hammered this in enough, Team 7 can't just walk up and defeat every snow shinobi here. I also wanted to show that the normal shinobi, still being human beings with the ability to think and react, won't just go down with one hit. As it took several to stop just one of them and some even got back up to fight again. This is an aspect I feel is largely ignored in fiction and tried not to do.

No offense to anyone who has had Naruto and co pwn lots of enemies at once ^_^

Another thing I want to mention is that don't be under the mistaken impression that anyone can just mauled down fifty Snow Ninja. As far I'm concerned, had this been anyone other team – Team 8, Team 10, Team Gai or even the Sand Siblings – they would have been defeated. Still taken down most of the Snow Shinobi, but ultimately _lost_. In fact, one can argue that if Naruto didn't get his little Kyuubi outburst that Team 7 would have been defeated as well.

And that's not to say the other genin teams are weak. Just that Team 7 is the special one, the ones that stand out above the rest.

Once again, a BIG THANK YOU to all that submitted jutsu for this chapter. I did my best to incorporate as many as I could. I hope they all match how you each envisioned them. And if I did handle any wrong or if they were not how you foresaw it, I apologize in advance. I'm only human. And to those jutsu I didn't get to use, there is still the rest of the story. You may just see them featured later. And how knows, maybe even in Chuuten.

And a special shout-out to Tellemicus Sundance! You have no idea how much I greatly appreciated your help through all this! I was constantly bugging him with questions and I don't exaggerate when I say it was over 'every little detail'. Just ask him. Still, a very special thank you for all the help and support you gave me!

Koyuki Football is allowed only in the Snow Country/Land of Snow. Please do not attempt to play Koyuki Football at home... or anywhere else for that matter ^_^

One of the counters Naruto does in the Reigi portion of the fight is supposed to be modeled after a Japanese training exercise, called Hanpuku Yoko-Tobi (not entirely sure if that's the correct spelling or name. Anyone know if it is?). Or at least that's what my source labels the exercise as. It can be translated to something long the lines of "repeated side-stepping". You have three lines marked on the floor, and you basically sidestep quickly back and forth across all three lines. It's mostly endurance training, as you keep on going for a set period of time, while focusing on doing it right. According to the Third Databook, this is Maito Gai's hobby.

A friendly reminder. In the Legacy continuity, Mesaki (the twin brother of Iwayama) featured in Makaze Rekidashi, is the host of the Five Tailed Biju, not the newly named 'Han' of the chapter 420 Jinchuuriki poster spread. He was frozen in ice after his defeat in the opening chapter of MR.

The Ice Climbers, Popo and Nana, are the property of Nintendo. Credit goes to Neccor for their Naruto history version.

Final Count of Enemies defeated by Team 7.

Naruto: 24  
Sasuke: 16  
Sakura: 10

Hananikakeru - to be full of pride; to be boastful  
Danmari – silence; without giving notice; taciturnity; refusing explanation; pantomime  
Gyokuei – crystal; transparent gem  
Hari – crystal; glass  
Taka - falcon (Falconidae family); hawk (That's what my translator says, which I find rather interesting that 'taka' refers to both species)  
Kugi – nail  
Konguseki – diamond  
Yashinka – ambitious person  
Sekimu – duty; obligation  
Eimin – eternal sleep; death  
Heaairon – hair iron  
Oniikei – men's fashion style characterized by brown hair and deep-tanned skin, expensive brand-name clothes and accessories  
Nobasu – (1) to grow long (beard, hair, etc.); (2) to lengthen; to extend; to stretch; (3) to reach out; to hold out; (4) to straighten; to smooth out; (5) to spread evenly (dough, cream, etc.); (6) to dilute; to thin out; (7) to postpone; (8) to prolong; (9) to strengthen; to develop; to expand;  
Mitsugo – Triplets (I don't know enough Japanese to find three words that were similar, so I just used Jim, Tim and Sim for the first names. I found it rather fitting that even their first names made them a bit... odd)  
Chiru – to die a noble death  
Kakkeigyuutou – using a meat ax when a knife would suffice; taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut; using a grand-scale measure (a massive instrument) to deal with an insignificant problem  
Tettsui – (iron) hammer  
Safaia – sapphire  
Atsusa – heat  
Ikkoku – stubborn, hot headed  
Tainetsu – Body Heat  
Oketsu – impure blood  
Murasaki – purple; violet  
Bibou – beautiful face; good looks; beauty (Her full name is supposed to be Bi Bou, this word split in two but it's fun to note that Bi by itself also means 'Beauty')  
Reigitadashii - polite (person). (Like with Bi, his full name is from this word split in two, with Reigi his first name and Tadashii his family name)  
Kashiratsukai - puppeteer for the head  
Shijinjuu - four divine beasts; guardian deities of the four cardinal points  
Gankooyaji - stubborn (obstinate) father; pig-headed old man  
Rubi – Ruby  
Konoha no Gogyou – Five Elements of Konoha. On a fun note, Gogyou actually refers to the classic Chinese elements: Fire, Wood, Metal, Earth, and Water. But since Kishimoto uses Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth and Water instead, we can just pretend Gogyou means these five elements.

Mujounium is a word created by Ultra Sonic 007 as a name for the material in Asuma's Chakra Knives and used with permission.

Just a little note on the following definitions. As said previously, all credit is given to where it's due. That said, if you simply suggested a technique name in the reviews, but didn't give any sort of explanation, I put "Suggested by". If you did put a definition, even a small one, I put "Created By". Some definitions I did tweak a little, but as far as I'm concerned, it's still created by the person who put it down first.

Jutsu List.

Suggested by readers: 52  
Created myself: 39  
Created by Tellemicus: 9  
Canon: 4

Total: 104

**Aisu Bunshin**--_Ice Clone// _A bunshin formed from the result of ice, either pre-existing or manufactured. Requiring a quarter of the user's chakra to form, the Aisu Bunshin has a degree of durability, allowing it to take several hits before dispelling, as opposed to one. In addition, skilled users can use surrounding snow or ice to regenerate any damage taken. Aisu Bunshins are capable of any physical attack of its creator, but nothing requiring chakra. Meaning no genjutsu or ninjutsu. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) Created by phoenix718

**Ninpou: Mukounisuru--**_Ninja Art: Disable_// When one molds chakra for a jutsu, the attempt is as unique as the jutsu created. As a result, this jutsu is designed to send forth a burst of chakra through the opponent's forehead, which will identify and temporarily cancel these specific pathways of a jutsu in the process, rendering the opposing jutsu unusable for a set time limit. This can vary depending on how much chakra and effort is used for the technique. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Suggested by Tellemicus Sundance

**Hyouton: Tonneringu Yuki**--_Ice Release: Tunneling Snow_// Essentially, an ice/snow version of Kisame's Dochuu Senkou, allowing quick and fast movement through the snow and ice landscape (this is how the Disabling Ninja got so close to Naruto). (High C-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Doton: Dochuu Senkou**--_Earth Release: Underground Submarine Voyage_// After forming the needed hand seals, Kisame can sink below ground and quickly travel through the earth. By extending his Samehada above ground, he gives off the appearance of a shark traveling underground. (C-Class Ninjutsu) (Several Yuki-nin used this move as well)

**Sucker Punch no Jutsu**//Pretending to form seals for a jutsu, Naruto maneuvers close and delivers a solid right hook to the unsuspecting opponent's face. (Naruto)

**Hyouton: Iiguru Misairu no Jutsu**--_Ice Release: Eagle Missile_// Creates a small eagle out of ice that is an extremely fast projectile. The beak portion of the eagle is incredibly sharp, resulting in the target of this jutsu being skewered as a result of both the speed and sharpness of this technique, leaving small, but precise and deadly injuries should it hit an opponent. The likelihood of this happening is high. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) Suggested by The Warrior Within

**Fuuton: Kaze Kiwa no Jutsu**--_Wind Release: Wind Edge_//A Fuuton jutsu used in conjunction with a sword or other melee weapon. Using the weapon as a focal point, one precisely controls the winds around the sharp part of the weapon, playing on Wind's attribute for cutting to make the weapon that much sharper. Continuous or overpowered usage of this jutsu can result in damage of the weapon itself, but not a moderately controlled amount. Requires a suitable amount of chakra in order to use. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Hanani Kakeru)

Side note: I purposely called the technique Wind Edge because with all the different types of Jutsu out there, I figured it was quite likely you'd run into people using the same name – especially simple names like this one – even if the jutsu are very different from each other.

**Hyouton: Shimiru Kyuutai no Jutsu**--_Ice Release: Frozen Orb_ (roughly)// An upgraded form of the Aisu Bomu (Ice Bomb) technique. Like its predecessor, it explodes into a shower of hundreds ice spikes. The Shimiru is about ten times larger than the Aisu Bomu and as a result, the ice spikes formed are denser and sharper as well. Unlike the Ice Bomb, this jutsu can be remotely activated with a hand sign and isn't dependent on foreign contact to work. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) Created by Zanji of the clan okami

**Marunoko--**_Buzzsaw_// A taijutsu strike that is remarkably similar to that of the Hyuuga's Kaiten. The user spins around at a very fast speed, while holding out a weapon. In this case, Danmari's Giant Axe. This results in a powerful spinning strike that can slice through nearly everything at once, or soon enough if enough time goes by. Unlike the Kaiten or Kaze Tate, one is not grounded to the ground, so limited range of movement is possible. However, one does not have any means of defense while doing this, making it easy to counter should the target avoid a hit. As a result, it's recommended one use this attack only briefly or if the opponent is incapable of moving. (High C-Class Taijutsu) (Danmari)

**Ningenteki Kesshou**--_Human Crystallization_// A bloodline limit of Yukigakure's Gyokuei clan. Transforms the Clan member's body into crystal, either a portion of the body – such as an arm – or the entire thing, depending on the clan user's skill with the taka seal. One the body becomes crystal, the body's hardness and endurance is increased overwhelmingly, making it an ample defense for a shinobi as it is very difficult to crack, let alone shatter. In addition, the user can focus sunlight through the crystallized portions of the body and allows the use of Chokushanikkou jutsu, such as intense laser-like beams, or producing a blinding light. While the body's natural defenses are substantially increased, it should be noted that the crystal is not true crystal, so it is possible for it to be shattered. If such an event does happen, the damage is not only applied to the user's normal body, but amplified by a factor of three. If an extreme happens, such as the shattering of an arm in crystal form, the user will be missing an arm when the bloodline is turned off. (Bloodline Limit. One of four in Yukigakure)

Side note: To you anime watchers, believe it or not, Guren was not the inspiration for this idea. Kizaru from One Piece was. Only the base inspiration, mind you, as my move is very different from his.

**Taka seal**--_Falcon Seal_// Special seal of the Gyokuei clan that they use to activate their bloodline. User's skill and chakra determine how much of the body is crystallized.

**Chokushanikkou**--_Direct Rays of the Sun_// A special type of jutsu from the result of the Human Crystallization bloodline. By focusing sunlight rays through the crystallized body, it can focus sunlight into a deadly force of rays via the bouncing of many of the inner crystallized structure. How strong these rays become are a result from both the amount of sunlight in the area, and how one structures the inner crystals. These can result in the rays' damage ranging from just a small needle prick to damage equivalent to A or even S-Class ninjutsu. (Gyokuei clan)

**Taiyou Bunshin**--_Sun Clone_// A type of clone that can be created from the Chokushanikkou of the Gyokuei bloodline. While not able to perform any sort of attack, it can be created in an instant, without the need for seals, making this clone most suited for diversionary tactics. (Upper D-Class Ninjutsu)

**Raiton: Ryouyou Denkou Kunai--**_Lightning Release: Dual Lightning Kunai_// Sasuke will form the standard Chidori and then lower it's power, allowing the energy to flow to his other hand and produce a second Chidori there. Because of this, it lowers the destructive ability of Chidori in both hands, radically reducing its power. It does allow for Sasuke to maintain it for longer periods of time and less depending on his chakra reserves. While the power is reduced, the Lightning around Sasuke's hands is still sharp, increasing the force behind his punches a significant degree. (Low C-Class Ninjutsu) (Sasuke)

**Datto Shishi Rendan**--_Lightning Speed Lion's Barrage _(roughly)// An extension of Sasuke's standard Shishi Rendan. Utililizing his dual lightning kunai to enhance his strikes, Sasuke will kick an opponent into the air, followed by a large barrage of physical strikes on the opponent. Then one will propel oneself down on the opponent (various means available to do this), adding additional force to the finishing strikes on the opponent as they crash on the ground. (A-Class Taijutsu) (Sasuke) Created by DigitalDestiny360

**Ninpou: Ganseki Sentou**--_Ninja Art: Rock _Spire// This technique requires the user to slam their palm onto the ground after performing the hand signs. The chakra sent into the ground is directed at an

enemy, upon which it strikes up suddenly as a spire of rock. The amount of chakra utilized initially determines the size of the spire. (High D-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Eyes of Truth

**Katon: Hibashira no Jutsu**--_Fire Release: Blazing Fire Tower_// Perform the hand signs, slam your palms in the ground. Just a few combustible materials are needed as fuel for the chakra to create the fire tower that'll engulf the enemy...and given the snow, there's oxygen AND hydrogen to use. If you're skilled enough. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Hyouton: Aakutikku Reiki no Jutsu**--_Ice Release: Arctic Chill_// A jutsu that sends a blast of snow laden air towards an enemy. The more chakra used, the colder the winds became as a result. Essentially an Ice verison of Great Breakthrough. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Zanji of the clan okami

**Fuuton: Daitoppa**--_Wind Release: Great Breakthrough_// A Ninjutsu technique which utilizes the Wind Element. After bringing his hand to his mouth, the user will blow a large blast of wind capable of leveling almost anything in its way. A variation of the technique involves a smaller blast of wind which gets ignited with flame. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) Canon technique.

**Howaito Nuguitoru--**_White Out _(roughly)// Creates a sight-impeding fog that requires a somewhat higher chakra cost but has the added bonus of virtually killing the target(s) sense of hearing (like when you're wearing earmuffs) and can be used by people who aren't exactly masters of silent killing. (Mid B-Class Ninjutsu) Created by FullMetal5000

**Shuriken Rapid Throwers **were created by Tellemicus Sundance

**Katon/Fuuton: Baaningu Kaze Kusari Doriru**--_Fire/Wind Release: Burning Wind Chain Drill// _Naruto uses the chain of clones rendan that he used in the canon fight with Sasuke and then uses the wind drill jutsu (Kaze Doriru) to coat them in a tornado. It would be like a giant cutting version of of Sakura's water whip jutsu in its usage. The top clone is 'set' on fire, via Sasuke or another ally Katon user. (Low A-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto and Sasuke) Created by qtar1984

**Hyouton: Shiirudo Kagavakashii Yuki**--_Ice Release: Shield of Glittering Snow_ (roughly)//This B rank defensive jutsu creates a shield of swirling snow around its user. This shield is much more than it appears as physical contact with the globe will at first cause the creation of ice at the point of contact, blocking the blow. This ice rapidly grows up from the point of impact, encasing the hand and eventually arm in ice or surrounding a weapon and forcibly disarming the opponent. This jutsu can also stop less powerful physical ninjutsu but is mostly used as a defense for a ninjutsu-based ninja against a taijutsu type that has entered close range. The longer this jutsu is maintained, the more chakra it requires and it only blocks one attack, although it can block more than one if they hit the globe in quick succession. It appears similar to Kaiten in appearance, except it is made of swirling snow. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) Created by evilballoon

**Katon: Zanbato**--_Fire Release: Zanbato_//User creates a GIANT blade of fire. Lightweight but powerful, the user can wield this giant, fiery sword as though it were as light as a ninjatō. Essentially, once you provide the chakra structure for it (which is somewhat substantial, naturally), it only takes relatively little to maintain it... particular because the fire continues to combust due to the air surrounding it. The chakra structure is the base for the fiery blade, and the little bit of chakra used afterwards, plus a whole bunch of air, is what keeps it 'fueled'. So unless it's completely smothered from all sources of fuel, it'll keep burning so long as chakra is applied. (Mid A-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

Side note: A ninjatō, also known as ninjaken or shinobi katana, is the most common name for the reputed sword a ninja would have carried. These swords came in a variety of shapes and sizes. Often, however, they were much shorter than the traditional daito katana used by the samurai of feudal Japan. The straight-bladed, square guard sword is a product of the modern imaginative conception. This is the type of sword Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles typically wields. Definition from Wikipedia.

**Doton: Kibaku Kaigara**--_Earth Release: Exploding Shell_/A jutsu that is modeled after Deidera's exploding clay. The special thing about this jutsu is the method that it can be used, arguably even more deadly than Deidera's attack style. It creates a boulder with a hollow center, much like a clamshell. After capturing the enemy(s) inside, the user can detonate the boulder. While this strategy is quite effective, it much less powerful than Deidera's clay. (A-Class Ninjutsu) Original Technique created by Tellemicus Sudance

**Hyouton: Tsunami Furasshu Hyouketsu no Jutsu**--_Ice Release: Tsunami Flash Freeze_// Unleashes a high-pressure blast of water that washes over the victim and/or target. It flash-freezes on contact and traps the victim in a block of ice that could quickly kill if they are left like that for an extended period of time (5 to 10 minutes). Due to the nature of the move, it is highly uncontrollable and when used recklessly can ensnare one's own allies. Requires a massive amount of Chakra to use. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Tellemicus Sundance

**Hyouton: Tatewaru**--_Ice Release_: _Shieldbreaker_//Naruto uses Suiryuudan and then forms a Tatewaru. He jumps towards his target with chakra on his feet to make him jump higher, and controls wind around his body to make his whole body spin and shoot at his foe. His Suiryuudan circles around him so fast it merges with his Tatewaru, making it a rough Hyouton jutsu. (Low A-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto) Created by Darkamber8828

**Suiton: Junsai no Jutsu**--_Water Release: Water Shield_//Water is either created or taken from the surrounding area to form a dense shield of water around you, to protect you from attacks. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Doton: Ishikorokaze no Jutsu**--_Earth Release: Rock Whirlwind_//Surrounding earthen materials - rocks, boulders, pebbles - become infused with chakra, being launched at the enemy in a furious storm. For maximum effectiveness, a Fuuton user is recommended to be nearby to bring out the wind. (Mid B-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Katon/Fuuton: Okibi Enshou**--_Blazing Spread of Fire_// A combination of Naruto's Kaze Oshiyaru with Sasuke's Housenka no Jutsu. The wind Naruto blows both enhances and propels Sasuke's fireballs, resulting in a faster and deadlier fireball strike on the enemy or enemies. (Mid B-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto and Sasuke)

**Kori Shinchuu no Jutsu**--_Sly Fellow Mind Skill_//Alternates a person's perception of his/her surroundings. (Upper D-Class Genjutsu) Created by Alex

**Fuuton: Geirufoosu no Jutsu**--_Wind Release: Gale Force_//User blows a chakra-enfused wind; the gust from one's mouth is a brief, intense gale that knocks everything off of its feet. (Low C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Hyouton: Hitoshirezu Ashika Kamikizu**--_Ice Release: Hidden Seal Bite_ (roughly)//User creates a seal made out of ice that travels underground/in the water (wherever the user is located) and attacks from underneath the target. (Upper D-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure Technique) Created by rablondeman

**Suiton: Kappajuugan no Jutsu**--_Water Release: Demonic Water Bullets//_Your mouth basically becomes a gatling gun as you spew out fast, tiny water-based projectiles. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Katon: Taba no Doragon--**_Fire Release_: _Dragon coil_//User makes flames into a shape of a dragon that encircles around the enemie(s). (Upper C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Alex

The **Multi-Staff **was created by Tellemicus Sundance

**Ninpou: Joukibuki**--_Ninja Art: Weapon of Steam_// A bloodline of the Fujiwara clan. It is a mixture of Water and Fire chakra combines to form steam. Scalding water in a gaseous form, the user can either create it with his/her own body - requiring lots of water to keep from being dehydrated - or using surrounding material to form the steam. Given the snow, the latter is more efficient. Allows one to manipulate steam and form into any variety of weapons at a moment's notice... from nunchaku to katana to kunai to shuriken to glaives... the sky's the limit. The higher your level of mastery, the 'sharper' you can make the steam (essentially by making the edge thinner, to the point where it's only a few molecules). Such mastery requires Jonin-level skill. For Chunin and below, the steam weapons wouldn't be sharp enough, in all likelihood, to cut through regular kunai or shuriken...and given the cold in the area, if the Joukibuki user is careless enough as to let his control lapse, it's likely that regular weapons will pierce through the steam weapons. HOWEVER, the malleability of the steam itself is the problem for those facing it; if you're parrying a steam kunai with a regular kunai, the Joukibuki user could still cause the steam to 'warp' and 'stretch' and stab you in the hand or wrist unexpectedly. (Bloodline Limit. One of four in Yukigakure) (Fujiwara clan)

Side note: borrowed the clan name, Fujiwara, from Ultra Sonic 007's story, as the steam user in that, Akira, clan's name is Fujiwara. Felt fitting. Of course, Akira is a Waterfall Ninja, while the Fujiwara clan in this story are Snow Ninja. Heh.

**Katon: Bakuha Taihou**--_Fire Style: Blast Cannon_// The main prerequisite to this jutsu is that there has to be some sort of fire already existing in the surrounding environment. This technique calls together all of this fire, condensing it into a ball of intense heat and energy. It is then directed as a beam at the opponent. The level of intensity of the attack is dependant on the amount of and the strength of the fire that has been collected. (C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Eyes of Truth

**Katon/Fuuton: Rokettohasshatou**--_Fire/Wind Release: Rocket Launcher_// A combination of the Tatewaru and Faiatama. Naruto will form his Tatewaru while Sakura slams two Faiatamas right into the wind vortex, radically increasing the power with the Katon jutsu. Due to the small and light nature of the Faiatama, they are able to be launched out of the Tatewaru rather than being absorbed to fuel the Tatewaru. The power behind the launch is comparable to a charging bull. (Low A-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto and Sakura or Sasuke)

**Narakuseki no Jutsu**--_Underworld Barrier_// Summons a skull that levitates above one's head, which spews a spherical barrier of blue fire around you. It can either be a summoning technique, or the skull may be brought along physically to serve as a focus to amplify one's own Katon talents. Protects you from ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu. Basically, it's a two-way thing. You can't do anything whilst it protects you. (High A Class Ninjutsu) (Eimin) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Desumasuku--**_Death Mask_//Using the time in his barrier to prepare this attack, it converts his barrier's energy and power into a compressed wave that sucks the life from whatever it strikes. Weak opponents would be killed almost immediately, but strong ones are capable of withstanding the effects and overcoming it, allowing them to survive. Though considerably weakened for a time. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Eimin)

**Aisu Dango**--_Ice Dumpling_// Similar to Jiroubou's Doryou Dango (Mausoleum Earth Dumpling), only forming a large ice boulder the size of a mausoleum that one hurls at a target with the full intention of crushing them flat. The ice version can be created using the water in the air and thrown before the weight can crush the user themselves, allowing a ninja of any physical strength to use this jutsu, provided one has the chakra reserves needed. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) Suggested by phoenix718

**Ninpou: Nobasu**--_Ninja Art_: _To Lengthen Hair_ (basically)// A secret technique of the Heaairon Clan. It allows them to make any hair on their body, facial, arm or otherwise, lengthen out radically. The hair becomes as strong as steel and as sharp as spikes as a result of this. If the hair gets covered in a Clan member's blood, it will become poisonous as a result. While clan members can make their hair extend, they can't make it grow, meaning they have to rely on their existing hair for their techniques. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) (Heaairon Clan)

**Heasupuree**--_Hair Spray_// A technique of Snow's Heaairon Clan. Allows them to shoot off their hair like needles at an enemy for a surprise attack. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Heaairon Clan)

Side note: yes, I know that the term I used refers to the accessory Hair Spray and not hair shooting out like a spray. It's supposed to a pun on the name/attack.

**Hyouton: Kyuu Rin Woota no Jutsu**--_Ice Release: Ball of Frigid Water (roughly)_// This A-rank technique is based off the property that as water freezes, it has to expand into ice. If chakra is used to form a ball of water and prevent it from expanding, then its temperature can be lowered far below water's normal freezing point. This ball is shot at an enemy and upon impact, the chakra used to prevent its expansion dissipates. Basically the water ball impacts, splashing the surrounding area but mostly the target and because of its temperature, it almost instantly freezes into ice around the target. The target's initial contact with the water's sub-zero temperature can also cause instant frostbite. This jutsu is A-rank because of the difficulty in chakra control needed to keep the water from expanding. (Mid-A Class Ninjutsu) Created by evilballoon

**Doton: Meido no Gousunkugi**--_Earth Release: Pikes of the Underworld_//A long row of spikes rising out of the earth are used to surround the enemy in the hopes of impaling them. This effective area is often too large for most shinobi to be able to escape from. If caught by surprise, there is a very good chance that the victim will get skewered up on one or more of those spikes like a shish-kebob. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Original Technique created by Tellemicus Sundance

**Suiton: Supaikukansei no Jutsu**--_Water Release: Spike Trap_//Water erupts from the ground as spikes, impaling the enemy. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Hyouton: Hyougako Kasui**--_Ice Release: Glacial Spike (roughly)_// The user of this jutsu sends a large trail of solid ice spikes towards the target to impale them. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Zanji of clan okami

**Katon: Gouka Tenohira**--_Fire Release: The Palm of Hellfire_//Sasuke's first original attack ninjutsu, a combination of the Katon: Faiatama and the Chidori. He concentrates the fires of a standard Faiatama into one palm before compressing the fire into a tiny bead of light and heat. The Gouka Tenohira has two possible attack uses. It can be used to blow any enemy away (regardless as if it's handheld or thrown) with a concentrated blast of fire caused by the explosive properties of fire. And it can also be used like the Chidori: if he's traveling fast enough, he can potentially burn and/or melt his way through anything that he desires. However, because he's holding a ball of fire, he suffers similar damage as his target. Though this makes the Gouka Tenohira as dangerous to Sasuke as his opponent, he is able to partially shield himself by putting up a layer of chakra over his hand. (B-Class Ninjutsu) (Sasuke) Original Technique created by Tellemicus Sundance

**Hyouton: Buki Kawaru no Jutsu**--_Ice Morphing Weapon_//A ninjutsu that creates any weapon the user can imagine from Ice in his hand. This weapon is special in that as long as the user channel chakra through it, he can change its shape, allowing him to surprise his enemy. However the user must maintain a constant chakra level in the weapon; otherwise it will break. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) Created by zagan

**Mitsugo Ryuugi: Tootemupooru Zansatsu**--_Mitsugo Style: Totem Pole Massacre_// A taijutsu maneuver with the Three Mitsugo brothers. They will stand on each other's shoulder's, with Sim (the strongest among them) on the bottom, Tim in the middle (has the best stamina) and Jim on top (fastest in terms of speed and reactions). They use chakra in their feet to latch on to each other's shoulders and allow their hands to move freely for their jutsu. Sim will use close range ice axes as the main means of attack, while Tim uses his ice lances to cover Sim, and Jim serves as a look out, using his ice crossbows to deal with threats before they get close. They will switch their initial weapons in a heartbeat to deal with any new situation as well as catching the opponent(s) by surprise. Requires a great deal of training, timing and coordination to do this move properly. (Low A-Class Taijutsu) (Mitsugo Brothers)

**Doton: Daichiago no Jutsu**--_Earth Release: Earth Jaws_// Self-explanatory. Palms to the ground, cue massive earthen jaws that snap up the enemy whole. A lesser version of the 'Doton: Koketsu', but considerably faster, increasing chances of the enemy being caught. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Doton: Koketsu**--_Earth Release: Jaws of Death_//An attack from below, this jutsu is used mostly to kill or maim the enemy. Springing up from under them, jaws much like a flytrap rush up to crush the enemy. But what really makes this jutsu so dangerous is that the inside of the jaws are lined with sharp teeth that can mutilate the victim extremely easily. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) Original Technique created by Tellemicus Sundance

Though not actually used in this chapter, it was included for reference purposes.

**Hijutsu: Kuroonningen no Jutsu**--_Secret Skill: Clone Skill_// Basically, it's quite similar to Kage Bunshin, with two major differences: the user can create only one clone and that clone does not disappear upon receiving a direct hit. The Bunshin can take damage, which then the user feels once the technique is dropped. (A-Class Ninjutsu) (Mitsugo Brothers) Created by Shang and used with permission

**Mitsugo Ryuugi**: **Ninja Docking 6 Behemoth**//A taijutsu maneuver performed by the Mitsugo Brothers, using the Kuroonningen for support rather than a Kage Bunshin, as the Kuroonningen as it can take hits and not be dispelled, which would result in the collapse of the behemoth, a roughly human shaped fighting figure. A Tim and Sim will form the feet, utilizing Sim's strength and Tim's stamina to support the 'upper body'. The other Sim will form the 'torso' of the body, using his strength to wield the arms of the Behemoth, both Jims. The 'left arm' will by hand by his hands, allowing him to attack his opponents with kicks, while the 'right arm' will be held by his legs, allowing him to attack with fists. And finally, the second Tim will compose the 'head' of the Behemoth, using his fast reflexes to coordinate the entire body, much like he does on top of the Totem Pole Massacre maneuver. (High A-Class Taijutsu) (Mitsugo Brothers)

**Behiimosu Gufuu**--_Behemoth Tornado_// After the Behemoth is formed, the two 'legs' will spin the 'torso' around and around as fast as they can, making the entire center portion of the Behemoth spin rapidly, resulting in the attacks from the 'arms' becoming that much more intense. The 'head' will hop in place while this is going on, allowing him to continue seeing and coordinating the body without getting dizzy himself. (High A-Class Taijutsu) (Mitsugo Brothers)

**Hyouton: Nigenteki Sai Abaremawaru no Jutsu**--_Ice Release: Dual Rhino Rampage_// Forms two large ice Rhinos on both sides of him that can be launched simultaneously or individually. The speed is on par with Naruto's Booruban Mizu Dangan, making an opponent hard-pressed to avoid or risk being trampled to death. The two rhinos are incredibly durable, making them all but impossible to destroy. Requires moderate chakra reserves. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Shuriken Burizaado**--_Shuriken Blizzard_// Using snow that's already in the air and clumping and hardening the snowflakes until they turn into razor sharp snowflakes. (High D-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) created by phoenix718

**Fuuton: Gouzen Kuma Tekken no Jutsu--**_Wind Release: Roaring Bear Fist_// User forms a bear head made out of wind around their fist. Bear head bites the target and holds on, slashing up the area where it bit. User can then throw the target whichever direction they wish, with the wind amplifying their throw. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) Created by rablondeman

**Ninpou: Hibiki no Jutsu**--_Ninja Art: Echo Blast_// User unleashes a concentrated, chakra-laced scream. Designed to stun or deafen the target. (Low C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Aisu Toku--**_Ice Shields// _A taijutsu style that revolves around the creation of large ice shields on their arms and/or legs that can stand up to many types of attacks, slowly freeze things upon contact, and reflect sunlight at an enemy to blind them. (Taijutsu Style) (Tettsui) Created by rablondeman

**Moushin Hanmaa**--_Rushing Hammer (_basically_)//_ A dash attack of the Ice Shield style, where one seemingly runs at the opponent at full speed while swinging the ice shields on their arms and legs in random directions. This is intentional as it is merely a means to keep the opponent off-balance and unable to counterattack until you can reflect sunlight off the shields and blind your opponent, giving an opening for a more lethal attack. User must be wary and cautious so they do not become too wild or reckless in this charge, or the enemy can easily outwit you. (High C-Class Taijutsu) (Tettsui)

**Kakkeigyuutou**--_A term used to refer to a sledgehammer to crack a nut//_A move of the Aisu Toku style, slamming two or more of the Ice Shields together on an opponent, preferably the head for massive damage. (High C-Class Taijutsu) (Tettsui)

**Multi-Fuuma Shuriken Throwers** were created by Tellemicus Sundance

**Raiton: Piasshingu Denkou no Jutsu**--_Lightning Release: Piercing Lightning_// A compact ball of lightning. It's compressed completely into the palm of one's hand to roughly the size of a baseball. Due to lightning's nature, the compression makes the jutsu gain piercing properties, allowing it break through defenses, such as body armor, shields, even wind to a degree. (High C-Class Ninjutsu)

**Fuuton: Reppushou**--_Wind Release: Gale Wind Palm_// Is a Ninjutsu technique utilizing the Wind Element. After forming the needed hand seals, the user will send a strong gust of wind towards his target. When acting in conjunction with another thrown weapon, the wind can increase its power and deadliness. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) Canon technique.

Side note: This is the move Nagato used in Jiraiya's flashback in chapter 373

**Katon/Fuuton/Raiton: Mi Anaake Shiruu--**_Fire/Wind/Lightning Release: Tri Drilling Force_ (roughly)// A combination of the Goukakyuu, Piasshingu Denkou and Reppeushou. The users combine the Fire and Lightning attacks into one, with the Wind fueling and propelling the attack with deadly results. Due to the nature of the combination, it is unstable. Able to only hold itself for a short while, making the propulsion by the wind user a critical factor, making sure the jutsu can strike it's target before it implodes on itself. The combo is quite dangerous as the damage is equivalent to an A-Class attack. (Mid A-Class Ninjutsu)

**Hyouton: Aisu Jaianto no Jutsu**--_Ice Release: Ice Giant_// Creates a fifty meter tell humaniod figure out of dense ice. The Ice Giant's movements is linked to the user, mimicking any physical movement or strike that the user does. The Ice Giant's movements are dependent on a number of factors, such as how much chakra is used, how skilled one is with the Ice Style, as well as the user's endurance and taijutsu skills. Due to the size, density of the ice and requirements, this jutsu requires a substantial amount of chakra to not only create, but use for battle. Not a move to be used lightly or beginners. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) Suggested by Zoneshifter D

**Narutotoujin no Jutsu**--_Maelstrom of Blades_// Technique used by prior Joukibuki bloodline; user launches a tunnel of steam at the enemy, this tunnel being lined inside with a swirling maelstrom of steam blades. Designed as a finishing move. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Fujiwara clan) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Ninpou: Iwane Badi**--_Ninja Art: Rock Body_// An earth technique that transforms the body into stone. In this form, one can separate their 'body' into many pieces, allowing for multiple attacking strategies as well as avoiding direct blows. Despite being physically disconnected, the pieces are still in link with each other through the jutsu. If one piece is hit and affected, the entire 'body' is as a result. Due to the body being essentially stone, harming the ninja in this state is rather difficult, requiring significant brute strength or strong jutsu. Before one loses chakra, one _must _reunite into one body, otherwise the ninja will literally fall to pieces when the jutsu wears off. Requires not only vast chakra reserves but a keen affinity with the Earth Element. (High B-Class Ninjutsu)

Side note: the inspiration for this jutsu is actually from the Bird Country Filler Arc, by one of the ninja named Nagare. Suffice to say, I'm not one of those that labels all the filler arcs downright awful. I enjoyed several of them.

**Aisu Ken**_--Ice Fist_// A taijutsu style that revolves around the foundation of turning your opponent and their accessories into ice. As a result, the basis of this style is to simply land a hit no matter where it is. While this means it lakes any real form or stance to this style, it doesn't need it as a few hits can result in death for an opponent. (B-Class Taijutsu) Suggested by Hinata'sUnofficialStalker

**Doton: Daichi Hikimado no Jutsu**--_Earth Release: Earth Trapdoor_// Creates a small, steep pit in the ground. The pit is about ten meters deep, five meters wide and five meters long. Designed to merely trap, stall or capture easy targets. (High D-Class Ninjutsu)

**Doton: Kasui Koukou no Jutsu**--_Earth Release: Spike Pit_// A simple jutsu that creates a number of earth spikes in a limited area, in contrast to it's sister jutsu, Meido no Gousunkugi, which can do it over a wide area at the user's will. (High D-Class Ninjutsu)

**Tainetsu**--_Body Heat_// Bloodline of the Atsusa Clan that revolves around manipulation of body heat. Due to the bloodline, Atsusa member's tolerance to heat is substantially greater than an average human's. The body heat can be used in a number of ways. The first is to enhance Katon attacks, channeling the body heat into the fire attack and dramatically increasing its power. Another is to release the body heat through the chakra pores on the body into a makeshift shield or another type of attack, though naturally this requires much control over one's chakra network, much like the Hyuuga clan. The strength of the shield or attack is dependent on the skill of the user and how well they can manipulate their body heat. In addition, clan members can absorb external heat from other sources, including other humans to supplement their heat and highly skilled members are capable of doing it without the need for physical contact. (Bloodline Limit. One of four in Yukigakure) Suggested by Zoneshifter D, Tellemicus Sundance, The Warrior Within

**Suiton: Mizu Shuriken**--_Water Release: Water Shuriken_// Melts snow into shuriken made of water, which launch themselves at the foe, homing in on the target. They burst when they hit the foe, so they

can be frozen or electrocuted. The shuriken can also be frozen or sharpened with wind. (High C class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure Technique) Created by Darkamber8828

**Raiton: Denka Te**--_Lightning Release_: _Electric Charge Arm_// Lightning swarms around the user's arms, both increasing the punching strength as well as electrifying an opponent if touched. Due to the fact that the lightning is constantly moving on the man's arm with no firm foundation, one is not electrocuted if hit by water (though extreme caution is required). Both of these aspects lightly strain the user's arms. The longer the jutsu is in affect, the worse the strain becomes. Conditioned masters can deal with the strain for a considerable amount of time. Requires moderate chakra reserves. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu)

**Tokochikawa--**_Endless Blood River//_ Bloodline of the Oketsu Clan. A person possessing this bloodline is capable of controlling all the blood that flows through their body. The user is then capable of using their own blood to create any weapon that they see fit. The blood weapons would be as just as strong as the user's skill in condensing his blood. An additional effect of this bloodline is that the user can accelerate the rate of the body is able to produce blood. Using chakra, one can speed up the healing rate should the case come where the clansman expunges too much blood. Control over an opponent's blood is also possible, allowing Oketsu members to destroy the opponent from the inside out. To do so requires a signifcant amount of the foe's blood, which they incorporate into their own bodies. Clan members also carry blood replenishing soldier pills, just as an added precaution. (Bloodline Limit. One of four in Yukigakure) Created by Eyes of Truth

**Doton: Doro Tekase**--_Earth Release: Mud Handcuffs//_A simple doton ninjutsu that gathers mud around the opponent's hands and then solidifies, locking the hands in place and making one unable to form any handseals for their jutsu. The more proficient the user is in Earth jutsu, the harder the Mud Handcuffs become. (Low C-Class Ninjutsu) (Bi)

**Raiton: Boufuuken no Jutsu**--_Lightning Release: Storm Zone_// Electrically charges the area around the user, allowing them to use their chakra to create lightning in that area for support (like strengthening a punch or kick), defensive and offensive purposes. The more chakra put into it, the higher the voltage. The lightning can be generated anywhere around the user's body at will, within a certain radius, but drains chakra everytime a bolt is generated. It also causes a small, constant drain on the user's reserves. When it's first activated, lightning automatically and randomly appears on the user's skin and in the air around them for a moment, caused by the chakra used to activate the jutsu, before becoming completely controlled by the user. This creates about a half of a second after the jutsu's activation where the user is completely unguarded. It will also, occasionally, spark randomly, as lightning is prone to be. The random bolts drain no chakra, and are a result of the air being repeatedly charged. If used too much, it can make it dangerous for the user to move from their spot, as the air is electrically charged. However, this requires many, many successive uses. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Bi) Created by anonymous naruhinafan

**Fuuton: Kaze Kaiken no Jutsu**-- _Wind Release: Wind Dagger_// A spur of the moment jutsu created by Sakura due to her first usage of the Kaze Kiwa. Due to never having used the jutsu, much less wind jutsu before, Sakura's initial attempt to use the Kaze Kiwa is unstable and dangerous. Through a combination of her chakra control and her knowledge of Naruto's jutsu, she was able to condense it into the Kaze Kaiken, a smaller, but still deadly version of the Kaze Kiwa. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Sakura)

**Yama Ken**--_Mountain Fist_//A taijutsu style suited for large, slow-moving people, taking the user's size to deliver deadly results. The style revolves around fast and hard punches with very little, if any, kicks as users use all leg strength for speed purposes. This results in them being great sprinters, able to move very fast briefly. Users typically have excellent endurance, often not requiring very long to recover for another sprint, even in the middle of a fight. (Reigi)

**Iwahada**--_Rock Face//_A taijutsu strike of the Yama Ken style. User will uppercut the opponent's chin, then swift palm to the face. (Low C-Class Taijutsu) (Reigi)

**Fuuton: Kaze Misairu Rendan**--_Wind Release: Wind Missile Barrage_//An advanced version of the Kaze Doriru. After either being thrown or jumping into air, Naruto creates a series of clones. The clones activate the Kaze Doriru, while Naruto uses his Kaze Tate. With gravity and the Kaze Tate's powerful winds boosting their descent, the Kaze Misairu Rendan is a much more dangerous version of the standard Kaze Doriru due to the less likely chance of the opponent being able to dodge in time. (B-Rank Ninjutsu.) (Inspired by Ultra Sonic 007) Original Technique created by Tellemicus

**Jishintai**--_Earthquake Zone_//A precise and strong elbow strike to the opponent's spine in an attempt to dislodge or even break the spine. Named as such because the hit area becomes an 'earthquake' amongst the body. (High C-Class Taijutsu) (Reigi)

**Gouwan**--S_trong Arm//_A Ninjutsu technique that radically increases the mass and strength power in your limb(s), often tripling or even higher your punching/kicking power. Remains active as for as long as you provide chakra to fuel it. The longer this jutsu is in use, the more stress is put on your arms or legs. Can result in permanent damage to your muscle tissue or even require amputation if heavily abused. (Low A-Class Ninjutsu) (Reigi)

Side note: Reigi could still use his ninjutsu techniques because the armguards, like the Chakra Disrupting Shin Guards, require direct contact with the chakra. The long sleeves between the armguards and Reigi's arms serve as a buffer, thus allowing him to use Ninjutsu

**Kibou Te**--_Trick Hand_//An accidental hybrid jutsu of Jyuuken and Rasengan, it possesses the major qualities of both its 'parent jutsus.' It is capable of attacking a person's inner coils by shoving so much of the user's chakra into them that the coils are temporarily paralyzed until the chakra fades. And because of the Rasengan's distinctive spinning motion that has been added to its forceful entry of the enemy's body, any muscle or organ that has the misfortune of being in its path will get torn. If enough chakra is applied, it could easily reduce a person's organs to mush. But it requires a precise amount of chakra and control to use, and will easily fail should the user's attention shift in even the slightest bit. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) Original Technique created by Tellemicus

**Irapushon**--_Eruption_//A counter technique of the Yama Ken style by bringing your arms low, then blocking upward on the opponent's arms, flinging them up and exposing the body. You then bring your hands together and bash down on the opponent's exposed head. Named after a volcanic eruption, as debris will first fly up then come crashing down. (High C-Class Taijutsu)

**Shin'en**--_Abyss; Ravine_// A powerful Taijutsu combo of the Yama Ken style. User will first punch the victim high into the air, then leap after them and crush their back on top of their knee before finishing it off with a deadly punch to the face, with the intention of death by combination of injuries and a fatal crash. Designated as a finishing move. (Mid A-Class Taijutsu) (Reigi)

**Dosekiryuu**--_Avalanche_ (of earth and rocks)// A barrage of fast paced, powerful punches at a foe. Depends on both high skill to maintain the assault, as well as keeping an eye on the opponent's moves, lest the user falls victim to a counterattack. (Mid B-Class Taijutsu) (Reigi)

**Noku--**_To step aside; to move_//A defensive manuevar created by Tadashii Reigi. Involves quickly sidestepping at a 45 degree angle, putting one at the side of an opponent, then quickly sidestepping at another 45 degree angle back the way you came, placing yourself behind the opponent and leaving them open for an attack. (High C-Class Taijutsu) (Reigi)

**Gunpou**--_Mountain Range_//A three-punch series taijutsu strike of the Yama Ken style. The first punch is aimed at the opponent's stomach, then the user quickly wheels his arm up for an uppercut on the opponent's chin. Using the same hand, you grab the opponent's head and pull it into a punch with your other hand. (Low B-Class Taijutsu) (Reigi)

**Sekken**--_Interceptor Fist_//A technical name for the Uchiha fighting style. An amalgamation of the best elements of various taijutsu techniques, geared at intercepting incoming attacks without damage and then turning those attacks against an enemy... either by using the Sharingan to deduce the attack's weaknesses, or by copying the attacker's fighting style and canceling it out. Highly based on improvisation instead of concrete forms. (Taijutsu Style) (Uchiha Clan) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Hyouton: Rasengan**--_Ice Release: Spinning Chakra Sphere//_Naruto slackens chakra control on his Rasengan, making it larger, but weaker. Because it's larger, it catches snow off the ground and into his Rasengan. He compresses it, forming a transparent Rasengan with a blue interior. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto) Created by Darkamber8828

**Doton: Kidotekkou**--_Earth Element: Earthen Iron Fis_t//Perform your hand signs, stick fists into the earth, pull back up to reveal earth refined by chakra into an iron bludgeon. Increases strength by two times. Similar to Kakuzu's ability, except it only forms boxing gloves. Can also be launched as a projectile with a burst of chakra from the knuckles. (Mid B-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

The **Chakra Wires** were created by Tellemicus Sundance

**Hyouton: Iguruu Gokusha no Jutsu**--_Ice Release: Igloo Prison_//Forms an ice igloo that serves multiple purposes. Being an igloo, it can serve as a containment jutsu. If any victim is trapped inside the igloo, they will slowly be frozen to death. In addition, one can add additional chakra to create a series of clones (Ice Clones are preferable, but any type will do) to stall the enemy, furthering the chances they will freeze to death. This all serves as a secondary purpose, distracting the enemy from an internal genjutsu to mind lock the victims into endlessly fighting imaginary opponents. With a solid enough hit, which most people will attempt a medium attack (before a hard attack) to test it, the genjutsu will activate. Too hard, like Chidori or Rasengan, and the whole thing will shatter. With a medium attack it will create the igloo entrance, which will activate the genjutsu. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Neccor

**Katon: Hoenban no Jutsu--**_Fire Element: Flaming Discus_// Blows a small stream of fire onto your open palm, which is contoured into a swirling discus. Thrown at the enemy. It cauterizes organic material as it slices through. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Fuuinjutsu: Shijinjuu Torappu Reitouko**--_Sealing Jutsu: Four Divine Beasts Trap Freezer_// A powerful sealing jutsu that both freezes the victim and allows drainage of their chakra. The four sealers will bite both of their thumbs and get in the four cardinal directions – North, East, South and West – of the victim. They first bite their left thumbs and use it to draw a quarter of a circle on the ground with the blood, typically only a few inches long. Next they will slam their right hands down on the blood markings, stating the name of each mythological animal associated with that same direction: Genbu for the North, Seriyu for the East, Suzaku for the South and Byakko for the West. Kanji of each beast will appear next to the blood markings signifying the jutsu's activation. Brightly lit chakra will connect the four blood marks together and with a great burst from all four shinobi, that chakra will erupt into a blinding light, flash-freezing anyone and everything within the perimeter into a state of suspended animation. Chakra itself from the individual(s) frozen is also affected, allowing the sealers to draw out chakra from the victim. This is done by putting one hand on the ice, and their second hand on the ground making the sealers act as a conduit as the chakra will pass through the sealers themselves and transfer into the ground, where the chakra will dissipate naturally. This will only work on chakra that is actively being used (such as the execution of a jutsu), thus it is not possible to extract chakra from inside the victim itself. Seal will last for one week before having to be renewed. (High A-Class Fuuinjutsu) (Hari among others)

**Fuuton: Tenkuu Sanpo**--_Wind Release: Art of Air Walking//_Produces a small but intense stream of air from the opponent's feet, levitating the user about six inches off the ground, allowing one to move at a much faster pace, more agile and radically improves jumping ability. The wind on the ground resembles a sharp blade that can be useful in kicking opponents. In effect, using this jutsu is much like ice-skating on dry land. Requires constant usage of chakra to maintain. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) (Oyaji) Createdy by Alex

**Bureedo Kurumeku**--_Bladed Twirl _(Roughly)//While using the Art of Air Walking, Oyaji will spin around rapidly on one foot, while kicking randomly with his other foot. Move can often leave him quite disorientated. (High C-Class Taijutsu) (Oyaji)

**Tajuu Bureido Bakushin**--_Multi Blade Rush_//A dashing attack by Oyaji that makes use of multiple 'blades', typically his two four sided axes, the shuriken boot launchers and his fuuton jutsu, art of air walking. At times, Oyaji will utilize the Narigenshi, to make it look like his arms are stretching to increase his chances at landing a hit. (Low B-Class Taijutsu) (Oyaji)

**Ninpou: Harigensh**i--_Ninja Art: Stretching Phantom Arm_// A genjutsu that makes one's arms seem to stretch, whilst the user appears to remain stationary; a rudimentary genjutsu to mask the user's movement, as the fists on the 'stretching' genjutsu arms are the real guy's fists. (Mid C-Class Genjutsu) (Oyaji) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Aisu Himatsu**--_Ice Spray_// Hammer unleashes a spray of cold water. The user fuses the water with chakra to prevent immediate freezing, but when the chakra 'timer' runs out, it freezes. It can be easily negated by pumping chakra over the infected area before the freezing point. Even if it fails, the user is still wet in a below freezing environment (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Popo and Nana) Created by Neccor

**Furoozun Are**--_Frozen Tempest_// Spinning each other around, Popo and Nana perform the Ice Spray jutsu, creating a tornado-like effect. Due to the intensity of the attack, the chakra timer is stuck at 30sec, so as to leave everything in wet frozen mess. Very useful against a mass of people. (Mid B-Class Ninjutsu) (Popo and Nana) Created by Neccor

**Faiatama Rasengan**--_Fireball Rasengan_// A hybrid combo between Naruto and Sasuke utilizing the Faiatama and Rasengan. Both boys push their jutsu together, forcing the Rasengan to absorb the Faiatama. The spiraling energies of the Rasengan manage to contain the Katon and radically increases the destructive force to the equivalent of fifty exploding tags. However, it takes the combined efforts of both Naruto and Sasuke to maintain it, even for a moment or else it will explode right in their faces with deadly results. Due to the unstable nature, they are able to throw the Faiatama Rasengan. It will only last for about five seconds before it implodes on itself. (Low S-Class Ninjutsu) (Naruto and Sasuke) Created by Tellemicus Sundance

**Ninpou: Yeti**--_Ninja Art: Yeti_// A secret technique of the Shiroikuma clan as it mergers the clansman and one of their polar bear summons into one being, closely resembling a legendary Yeti. Pulls advantages from both beings, vastly improving all areas of fighting. (Mid A-Class Ninjutsu) (Shiroikuma Clan) Suggested by phoenix718

**Cho Baika no Jutsu**--Super Multi Size Technique// Secret Technique of the Akimichi Clan. Requiring massive chakra reserves, the user grows to gigantic portions. Kugi is only able to do this when he utilizes the Ninpou: Yeti jutsu, the polar bear's chakra reserves greatly adding to his own. This still only meets the bare minimum chakra requirement, leaving no more for Kugi to use any of his other jutsu while in this state. Should he choose to do so, he will immediately revert to normal size. (Clan Secret Technique) (Akimichi Clan/Kugi)

Side note: As you probably all well know, the Akimichi's jutsu – alongside the Inuzuka, Nara, Kidoumaru and others – are all classified as Clan Secrets and not Bloodlines. This means that _anyone _can learn then if they find out the secrets. Of course, being able to use them is another story entirely.

**Hasai Ashige**--_Smashing Kick_// Similar to Tsunade's infamous heel drop, the user raises his/her leg straight into the air, smashing down one's heel into the ground... or onto the opponent's head. (High C-Class Taijutsu) (Team 7) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

**Tenshiarashi**--_Element Storm_//What it says. A rush of all five prime elements in a torrent of power; can be a single or group technique. Probably a two or three-person attack, in all honesty. (Team 7) Created by Ultra Sonic 007

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	18. Jaws of Defeat

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 18 - Jaws of Defeat_

(**Author's Note**) Well, I trust you've all heard that I am officially Tellemicus Sundance's successor to his Legacy Series. However, both he and myself feel it would be best to finish Ninja Clash first, then move on to Chuuten. So I must regretfully ask for your continued patience for Chuuten. I shall write as quickly as I am able.

**10:17 am**

Snow Ninja littered the ground like leaves all around the current landscape. Dozens of figures now lay unconscious from various injuries, be it from jutsu, explosions or good old-fashioned beatings. Towering shinobi like Danmari had been cut down, and Yuki-nin with bloodlines such as Gyokuei Hari, Fujiwara Sekimu, Atsusa Ikkoku and Oketsu Murasaki were napping in the ground with serious injuries. Others with special abilities such as Kugi of the Shiroikuma Clan and Oniikei of the Heaairon Clan were just as out cold as their fellows.

Shinobi with unique skills like Eimin's Underworld Barrier, the Mitsugo Triplets acrobatic antics, Tettsui's Ice Shield Style or Ganko Oyaji's four-sided bladed axes had also proven ineffective, just as much as shinobi with more traditional fighting moves like Bi Bou, Hanani Kakeru, Chiru, and Yashinka. Even stronger shinobi like Tadashii Reigi had fallen. Ninja who had used the special Snow Tech like the Multi-Staffs, Shuriken Throwers, Multi-Fuuma Shuriken Throwers and Chakra Wires had also faired poorly.

The train with the kunai launchers had also been reduced to mere scrap, blown to pieces from five simultaneousness attacks. Kazahana Doto himself was buried in the center of the area, his Icha Icha underwear for the world to see as his legs kicked frantically around, trying to pull himself out.

Team 7 was currently standing in front of Princess Koyuki herself, breathing hard as the two Kage Bunshins exploded into nothingness, their power spent from the jutsu attack. The three Leaf Genin all looked like a wreck, covered with scars, bruises, and bumps. Portions of their clothes were gone as well, such as Sakura's long sleeve gloves, and Naruto's jacket now boasted several large holes. Sakura managed a couple more deep breaths before she fell face first on the ground, not even having the energy to catch herself, her heart pounding madly against her chest and her breathing erratic.

Sasuke joined her a moment later as he landed on all fours gasping for air. Sweat was dripping down his face like rain, stinging the scars over his right eye.

Naruto, thanks to the Kyuubi outburst, had been refreshed greatly, but even he still felt weary and tired from all the fighting. Like several of Rock Lee's weights had been strapped on him. Placing his hands on his knees to hold himself upright, he glanced to his left at his two teammates and gave a small chuckle. "I hardly recognize you two with your faces kissing the ground like that." He allowed himself a small smirk.

"Oh, shut... up..." Sasuke countered, his face flushing slightly before quickly shaking it off. He tried getting to his feet, but quickly decided that staying on the ground for a few more minutes couldn't hurt.

The blond himself took a few more quick breaths before standing up straight. He could feel new adrenaline rushing through him as he rubbed his hands together in excitement. Now that the battle was over, he could look over all the new jutsu he just witnessed!

He smiled as he let his mind wander back to some of the jutsu he had seen in the fight. There was that Kaze Kiwa rip-off that Kakeru made. Perhaps he could do it with his own kunai? Surprise the enemy when they were sharper than expected? Or maybe that underworld barrier thing? Sure, the ninja was a weirdo, but that barrier was sure damn effective! Naruto just itched from the possibilities that his mind was zipping through to come up on that thing! And that Kyuu Rin Woota no Jutsu (Ball of Frigid Water) was just kickass! That one he definitely had to learn! Maybe he could use the basis of his Rasengan... throw in a little suiton... then fuuton at the last second to recreate it! That Ice Morphing Weapon the three bozos used could be damn useful as well! Wouldn't have to worry about running out of kunai or any weapon! Hell, those lightning jutsu like Denka Te (Electric Charge Arm) or that Boufuuken no Jutsu from that Bi Bou freak were so compelling, Naruto was ready to try them out! He had yet to experiment with lightning, so the possibilities were just endless! "Oh man... I can't wait to..."

Sasuke cleared his throat, drawing Naruto out of his personal fantasies as the scarred boy pointed at the defeated ninja. The blond let a small chuckle as he rubbed his head in embarrassed. "Right... forgot about them. I'll take care of it, Sasuke-_chan_. You just rest like the old lady you are."

"Shut up, dobe. I'll pay you back for that... later..." At that, Sasuke managed to get to his feet. Barely. He gave a grunt at Naruto's mocking sneer as he hoisted Sakura up to her feet, supporting her weight. "You doing alright?"

She looked dead on her feet and a bit pale, her eyes barely open. She managed a simple 'hai' grunt as she looked up at the battle site, a look of disbelief in her eyes as though she couldn't believe she had fought and survived in such a fight.

Naruto shot them both a look, wanting to tell them just to rest right now, but he couldn't help but feel a lingering resentment towards Sakura at the moment. She had used one of _his _jutsu in the fight: the Kaze Kiwa. Sure, it was a poor version and she did remake it into her own version, but that didn't change what she had done. Exploiting the knowledge that she had stolen from him for her own benefit.

Once he thought those last three words, he immediately regretted thinking them. That wasn't fair. It was in the middle of an intense battle and against a crazy woman and options were few, his own hands being locked in place due to that earth jutsu. If she hadn't joined the fight, things could have gotten _quite ugly _for him. So with that in mind, he was prepared to thank her for the aid and compliment her on her ingenuity for how she modified the Kaze Kiwa in the middle of a battle.

Maybe she'd even be willing to compare notes on the two.

The only thing that kept the loudmouth blond from asking her about it now was the fact she looked more like the living dead than an active kunoichi. So, resolving to put it off until later, his hands automatically formed the seal for the Kage Bunshin. He then remembered that stupid 'Disable' jutsu used by Crushed-Fan-san earlier, before realizing he didn't feel the affects of the thing on him anymore. Quickly, he slapped his forehead, feeling for that damned imprint on his forehead.

It was gone.

How long had it been gone? Are you telling him that he could had used his Shadow Clones earlier!? How much earlier? That would have been... he cut himself off with two quick slaps to the face, breaking himself out of his mental tirade. Didn't matter now. Crossing his fingers, he created two dozen clones, motioning to them to start rounding up the unconscious Yuki-nin. His eye scanned the horizon until it locked onto Doto's still-kicking form.

There was the end to the mission right there. Doto was ripe for the picking, his men defeated, his train wrecked, and stuck in the snow just waiting to be picked like a spring flower. There wouldn't be a better opportunity than this right now.

That's when a metal fist slammed right into Sakura's head.

Both boys flinched badly as Sakura was propelled from Sasuke's grasp into the air and then fell in the lake, water splashing all around as she sank beneath the surface. Both boys whipped their heads to the side and their jaws dropped. In the air was an air blimp! An actual air blimp! The passenger car, called a gondola, was located underneath the blimp portion, which was many times larger than the gondola. The gondola itself looked about three levels high, with four tail fins located on the bottom of the gondola.

At a rear entrance, Mizore was standing there, his left metal arm extended, having reached far enough to deal a powerful blow to Sakura's cranium and send her into the lake. Naruto could make out a grin on the man's face as the arm retracted itself in a flash, grabbing Koyuki by the waist and pulling her up to the air blimp, the princess screaming all the way up as she reached Mizore himself, right as Nadare jumped out of the doorway, heading right towards a struggling Doto.

The two boys acted at once (both swearing they heard a faint voice saying 'Who told you to cut!?'), with Naruto heading towards the blimp while Sasuke made a mad dash for the water. They didn't get far before Fubuki appeared in the sky, hurling kunai down at the boys. Though they missed the boys, they exploded into huge, deadly icicles powerful enough to skewer a metal truck. Naruto found himself barely dodging them as a result.

Realizing he needed another method for the plan, he redirected his Kage Bunshins to attack the air blimp himself.

While he went in _another _way...

Sasuke himself was running as fast as he could manage, which frankly was about a third of his normal speed to the lake. He shot a look into the sky at Fubuki, having to resist the urge to beat the crap out of her alongside the other Snow Ninja he had defeated. But now was not the time. There were more _important _matters to deal with than a flying ice bitch.

Without hesitation, Sasuke dove into the freezing cold lake.

* * *

**Same time**

**Kaijo **

Kajio felt his jaw hit the ground as he had to slap both hands over his mouth to prevent himself from making a sound. It wasn't fair! The three of them had just won an overwhelming victory and _more _snow shinobi arrived so quickly. Sakura was in the lake, Sasuke was swimming after her, and he couldn't even tell where the real Naruto was. He looked over at his boss. "Makino-san... we have to..."

The old man just gave a solemn nod, his confidence gone like a flickering candlelight in the wind. "I know... but there's nothing we can do. We have to get out of here."

Kaijo and the actors were going to protest until Makino pointed to the horizon, showing why they... and, in fact, _everyone, _had to leave the area now. The low rumble and darkening skies in the distance told them all they needed to know.

Already the rest of the crew slowly began gathering up and heading out under careful cover. Kaijo looked at them all in disbelief before glancing back at the battlefield. "But... what about...?"

"We don't have a choice," Makino emphasized, leading Kaijo away.

"There must be something we _can _do!"

"Have faith. That's all we have left now."

* * *

**Air Blimp **_**Ironwill, **_**10:24 pm**

The air blimp was perhaps the most recognizable symbol of Doto's power and reign over the Snow Country. It constantly traveled the country in the air, a constant reminder of who it was that was in charge. That only Doto's _iron will _was powerful enough to make the Snow Country strong, which was why the blimp had been aptly named as such.

The air ship traveled in erratic and random patterns from the capital, to Doto's Castle, to Yukigakure, to the many villages, towns and cities located throughout the country as well as the local lords' private estates. It was like a looming beast in the sky that hunted for its prey. And like prey, when people saw the blimp in the sky, they would drop everything and get out of sight, hoping that the looming beast would simply pass over them.

Because if the _Ironwill_ did descend on you, it was said tragedy was not long in waiting.

The interior of the air blimp was divided into three levels. The bottom most level was the cargo hold for supplies, weapons, extra parts, equipment for Snow Ninja, even sleds were stored there. At the foremost part of the level was a small brig. A small freight elevator was located in the back, connecting to the next level. The second level was a mixture of an engine room, the bridge, and a lounge. The engine room was located in the rear, next to the freight elevator for easy access for materials should anything break. In the middle of the deck was a small lounge off to the starboard side, where Doto sat and relaxed while traveling, or consulting with another important figure. The bridge occupied the remainder part of the deck, operated by a six-man crew for steering and navigation.

The top level was mostly an observation deck where ninja were stationed, constantly looking through the windows out at the countryside. It also allowed for quick access to the sky for fliers like Fubuki. The _Ironwill_ only required a crew of 12, half for piloting and the other half for engineering and maintenance, but could carry up to 18 passengers, typically shinobi to carry out Doto's will. And it was manned entirely by Doto's Loyalist shinobi faction.

Though currently, the shinobi were defending from the Kage Bunshin attacks as they fired down jutsu and kunai at the blond clones from the blimp's windows.

The rear elevator door opened as Doto (now donning a fresh pair of pants) walked up to the bridge and looked down at the landscape as the Naruto clones attempted to attack and board his precious airship. A vain attempt. His shinobi were maintaining their positions and not one little blond runt would get aboard. Losing interest in the show rather quickly, he looked over and saw two of his Loyalists escorting Koyuki in, sitting her at the couch in the lounge.

Doto resisted the urge to give a big smile; he preferred small ones. It kept people guessing what he was up to. What a day. The last pocket of resistance for his brother was gone and his niece had been returned to him. And soon those three brats of Hatake Kakashi's would be six feet under.

"You've grown quite _beautiful_, Koyuki," Doto said. Koyuki merely shifted her position on the sofa to get more comfortable, so he continued. "Tell me, little princess... do you have the Hex Crystal with you?"

"Hai."

"Good. It is the sole remaining link to the Kazahana Clan and the key to opening its _treasure_."

Koyuki's eyes opened, looking up at her uncle. "A key? Treasure?"

Doto gave a nod. "When I wrested this land from your father's hand, the Kazahana's resources were all but gone thanks to that fool's ridiculous experiments. I knew Sousetsu had a financial reserve hidden somewhere, as he was too soft to bankrupt his country for his own pleasures. I searched for a long time... and finally I found it three years ago, ironically when the last Guardian fell.

"It is hidden deep within the Rainbow Glacier. There's a keyhole there that can only be opened by the Hex Crystal. Once I have possession of the Kazahana fortune, our country will attain military superiority of the five great nations!"

Koyuki gave her own small smile in return. "Is that so? I just saw fifty of your snow ninja get their heads handed to them by three _genin_ from one of those villages. Your standing resources are pitiful, so even with my father's wealth, you won't be able to properly support one campaign, let alone five. And if you do attack the great villages, there are still the minor ones to content with."

"They won't be a problem," Doto said, picking up a glass and pouring himself some wine. "While it is true that minor villages have allied with the major ones, such as Ame, Kusa and Taki to Konoha, they are alliances of convenience." He finished pouring, then offered Koyuki a glass, who made no move to get it.

"The Third Shinobi War…" Doto paused, taking a sip. "…was essentially a conflict of the major nations, with Rock and Leaf being the main driving forces. Sand supported Rock and Mist supported Leaf. Cloud had remained detached, striking only when opportunity appeared and retreating just as often. And the minor villages served as little more than just battlefields for the great villages."

Koyuki knew this.

The Third Shinobi War had started as a result of the Sand Village assassinating an official of the neighboring Wood Country as part of a plan to annex the territory and valuable resources the country had to offer for an arid climate like the Wind Country. However, the Sand Ninja slipped up. While he did kill the official, his identity was discovered, forcing him to swiftly return to Sunagakure.

National pride of Wood had demanded the life of the Sand assassin in exchange for peace, or else they would declare war. Sand had refused, knowing full well that even if Wood did follow through, they would likely lose in the end anyway.

Two weeks later, Wood followed up on its threat, marching on Wind's borders with Rain and Grass ninja in tow as the three villages had a working alliance between them. Rock, which had been on friendly terms with Sand, attacked as well once news of the fighting had spread. With Rock striking from the North and Sand from the South, the two countries pincered the Wood Country on both sides, crushing them in between and establishing a land route between the two Great Countries.

Rain and Grass had been forced back as Sand and Rock pressed forward, with the eventual invasion of Waterfall to allow the two main villages to strike at the minor villages from another side. This led Waterfall into the war, and soon the Hidden Leaf due to their alliance. In a surprising move as well, Mist came out from its island borders, backing up the Leaf, which resulted in pushing the Rock and Sand forces out of the minor countries. Mist's aid to the Leaf shocked everyone and it was believed they were using the alliance as an excuse to increase their own military might for their own future plans.

That's when Lightning decided to enter the war. Keeping no alliances and striking at anyone in the hope of expanding its own borders and boosting their own economy, striking the minor nation of Hotsprings south of them. Fearing that this would happen to them, Cloud's strikes prompted other minor villages of Kagerougakure, Moyagakure, and Tanigakure to side with Sand and Rock as they were still considered the current powerhouse of the war due to their momentum and position.

And that's how – a mere seven months after the fighting had started – the war became known as the Third Great Shinobi War, or the Great Nation's War. With the original reason long forgotten, it was now all about the great nations seeking expansion and benefits for themselves in order to further their own standing against one another. Minor villages were swept away in the wind and found themselves siding with whomever came along simply to survive. Some villages even switched sides multiple times as the war dragged on, as the minor countries became no more than battlefields for the five great shinobi nations. And this dragged on for many years.

A final chance at victory came in the form of a critical Grass Country bridge. This allowed Rock and its allies free and unobstructed movement into Leaf's borders, a move that would have led to total victory. If it could be destroyed, then Leaf could choke the supply lines out of the Rock forces immensely, leaving them weakened enough for Leaf to gain the upper hand.

With a plan lead by the future Yondaime Hokage, Leaf had been successful. Once the key bridge in the Grass Country was destroyed, victory had all but been assured for the Leaf forces. Leaping on that, Sand suddenly switched its support from Rock to Leaf, allowing Leaf to push Rock all the way back to their own country and secure victory along the way with one final strike into the heart of the Earth Country that resulted in the Earth Daimyo suing for peace. Sand had gotten away with its change of heart because after years of war, Rock was in no position to retaliate against Sand and Leaf was in no position to turn down Sand's offer, though it did cost Sand plenty in terms of resources and land to prove they were sincere about backing the Leaf. Mist, surprisingly, withdrew from its alliance with Konoha, apparently no longer interested in dealing with problems on the mainland, or so they claimed. At the same time, Rain, Grass and Waterfall leapt at the chance to ally with Leaf, establishing an alliance between the five villages that lasted all the way to the most recent Chunin exam only a few months ago. Only Cloud remained largely unaffected by the end of the war due to their smaller role.

Still, the price had been high. The Wood Country ceased to exist entirely by war's end, its eastern and western borders absorbed by Bird and Rain countries respectively. Remnants of Wood, such as their infamous wild card, the Hannya clan, still survived to this day, but there were few. Many countries, the minors in particular, were left with devastation that they were _still _recovering from even over a decade later. Lightning and Mist had withdrawn to their own borders, and Rock and Sand had to pay considerable fees to Leaf as both loser and turncoat, leading to the establishment of Konohagakure as the strongest of the five great nations. A title it still held now.

During that war, Snow had discreetly sided with Rock, sending them support under the table. In the last remaining years, Snow had been uncovered, forcing them to send a token force led by the then-current Kagirinai Kachuu Yacho, to aid Rock. More would have followed, but with Mist at their doorstop, the majority of Snow's forces were needed to thwart them off. And indeed, many times Mist came at Snow and it was only through Mikata's leadership and skill that they were able to beat them back each time. This was what led Mikata to becoming the next Kagirinai Kachuu once it was reported that Yacho was killed.

"Once it becomes clear that Snow is challenging Leaf and the others," Doto went on, taking another sip of his drink, "The minor villages will sit back and watch to see if we succeed or not. They won't help Leaf or the others. And when the major villages start falling, the minors will be willing to take them on as well. And there's more of them than there are of the major ones. They will be crushed... and Snow will be leading them, establishing ourselves on top of the new shinobi world."

* * *

**Same time**

**Sasuke **

Sasuke swam deeper into the ice-cold water, doing his best not to think how chilling these waters were. He could barely see Sakura, about five meters below him, still unconscious from what he could tell. It was getting dark down here.

He then caught something out of the corner of his eye. Looking up at the surface, he flinched badly at what was going on. He immediately started heading back up when he looked back down to see the girl.

If he didn't get up to the surface now, they were going to be in serious trouble, but Sakura would probably be dead by the time he dove back in for her.

But if he continued to dive down for her, odds were _both _of them would be dead.

"_Abandon her," _Itachi's voice whispered. "_Leave her. You can't save her and yourself. Break the bond and leave."_

As soon as those words finished, Sasuke continued diving deeper without hesitation.

* * *

_**Ironwill**_

"You really think you can win?" Koyuki asked, sure that Doto had lost his mind. "Just one of the main villages outnumber and outclass Snow and you're talking about taking on all five. You don't have the manpower, the finances or the means to do."

Doto set his glass down. "That is where you are wrong, Koyuki. I have maintained old trade agreements with Rock, enough to keep Snow from going bankrupt by selling them some of our lesser toys, so we are not as penniless as you believe. I have started building Yukigakure's strength ever since I first took control." He then gestured his arms around. "And of course, I have means such as this airship that the other nations do not possess. With Sousetsu's fortune, I'll be able to build an entire airship fleet that surpasses this one. And that's just one of the advantages Snow will have."

"Doto-sama," a Loyalist spoke up from the helm. "The last of the clones have been destroyed with no sign of the real one."

Doto turned around and walked over to the man, looking down at the sight. "That is unfortunate." He looked out the window and frowned. "Prepare to leave at once. We'll have to _collect_ later."

"What of our defeated colleagues?"

"Leave them. It's more than they deserve."

"Hai, Doto-sama."

At that instant, the freight doors burst right open and the place flooded with a ton of Narutos. The Yuki-nin were caught completely by surprise as the clones slammed into them. The Snow Shinobi on the top level immediately began attacking, the blimp rocking back and forth between the fighting.

Doto and several of the bridge crew moved when one of the Yuki-nin that brought in Koyuki elbowed the other, then grabbed his arm and flipped him onto the ground.

Naruto grinned behind the henge he was using. Once Mizore left, it was pathetically easily to knock out one of these Snow "Ninja", and then replace him. He then created a small horde of clones to hide in the lower cargo. From there it was only a matter of waiting and listening for the right moment to strike. And now it was here.

Immediately Naruto grabbed Koyuki in the confusion. "What did I tell you about running away?" he asked the bitch, letting her know just _who _was saving her.

"Naruto?" the Snow princess said in surprise. Once again, he threw the young woman on his back and jumped up to the upper level, kicking a snow ninja down to the lower level. He planned to jump out of the air ship to the ground, using his Kaze Tate. At full power, it would be a powerful enough burst to allow them to land safely on the ground. Sasuke was sure to have gotten Sakura out of the lake by now and they all could flee into the forest, in order to decide their next move.

At least... that was the plan, until he looked out the window and his jaw dropped.

The lake was almost completely frozen over. Fubuki was flying over the lake, hurling those ice kunai over and over. Each time the kunai hit the lake, it erupted in large icicles, freezing a portion of the lake over completely. And there was only small area left as Fubuki flew towards it, kunai ready... and Sasuke and Sakura were nowhere in sight.

_Don't tell me... _Naruto thought in horror. They were still in there! "STOP!!!"

That moment cost Naruto his only chance of escape as the freight doors opened up, revealing Nadare and Mizore. The Analyst jumped up to the upper level and backhanded the henged Snow Shinobi in the face, sending him and Koyuki crashing back to the lower level, the henge dispelling.

Mizore's metal arm shot out again, slamming into many of the Naruto clones, dispersing many in that single shot. He retracted his arm half way then started whirling the arm like a chained mace, making short work of the rest.

Naruto quickly tried to get to his feet, but Nadare was already on him as he launched himself right at Naruto, sweeping the boy's legs out from under him. Nadare spun around and elbow-dropped right onto Naruto's throat. The boy hit the ground hard, splintering the wooden floor. After a brief cry of pain, Naruto backflipped to his feet... only to find a large number of wires fired from Mizore as they started wrapping around him.

Riken'ya no Mizore smiled as he jerked his hand, the wires tightening around Naruto in a second as the boy fell to the ground, helplessly bound. Both mentally and physically.

* * *

**Same time**

**Sasuke **

The Uchiha finally grabbed hold of the unconscious Sakura and began hauling her back up to the surface as fast as he could. He had seen Fubuki slowly freezing the entire lake and knew that time was short. Already his lungs were crying for air and he could only imagine that Sakura was worse off. He could only see one unfrozen area only three meters left. By the gods, he was _going _to make it before it froze over! There was no way in HELL that he was drowning to death in this damn forsaken...

One meter short of the surface, the last patch of water froze up entirely.

_Nooooo!! _Sasuke gave a mental scream as he clashed against the ice. He gave a few futile punches against it, even knowing it was pointless. But Uchiha Sasuke was not going to just roll over and die! Up to his _last breath _he was going to fight for his life!

He felt Sakura slip through his arm for a second and he quickly regrabbed her as he noticed his gaze going dark. His lungs were on fire and he could feel the last remnants of his strength fading.

Air! Air! AIR!!!

* * *

**Back on the air blimp **

Nadare noticed the boy struggle against his bonds as he felt the _Ironwill _change direction and speed away from the area_._ Such a pity. The boy definitely had _fire _in his veins. Fires Nadare would have taken great pleasure in dousing.

However, fate obviously had other ideas as the San Eihei had missed such a great clash. Not even a recording of the fight had been made, furthering preventing Nadare from learning of the feats accomplished during this fight that no one expected to happen.

And now all three genin were beaten, two dead and the third captured.

Such a pity indeed.

Breathing out at the small injustice of this whole ordeal, he looked over at his leader and gave a small bow. "My apologies for the racket. As you can see, the little runt was quite a handful."

"No matter," Doto said, a bright smile on his face as Fubuki flew in from a window hatch. "I am most pleased to have this one with me again. And his secrets will be mine."

The other Jonin male spoke. "I'll tell ya, I don't know who this brat is... but his level of chakra is very strong for someone his age." He turned to Doto with a smirk. "Just for a precaution, maybe we should try that contraption out on him."

The Daimyo looked thoughtful at the idea. "He _would _make for an interesting test subject. All the more so if he's what I suspect he is." He looked at Nadare and gave a jerk of the head.

It seemed that he was going to lose any lingering chance of seeing this Uzumaki Naruto in action as he opened a compartment on the wall. Inside was a gear-like object with a power seal in the center, much like those you found on the Chakra Armor, though this seal featured a dull red and blue pattern as opposed to the light blue and white pattern on the armor. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking it out.

The man gave it a small twist, taking off the lid as Mizore held Naruto up by the neck with his metal arm. Nadare promptly shoved the device against the boy's torso and give it a small abrupt turn.

The effect was instantaneous. Six tubes emerged from around the center, moving like snakes as they burrowed into the boy's flesh, latching onto him like a leech. A very _hungry _leech. Electricity surged throughout the boy. At first, he clenched his teeth in an attempt not to scream, but a few seconds later, scream he did as Mizore let him fall back to the deck.

"What is that?!" Koyuki asked, horrified.

"It's a Chakra Restraint Device," her uncle answered, enjoying watching the boy who foul-mouthed him squirming. "That device will absorb any chakra that's stored in his body and bind it behind a powerful barrier. Once it's activated, it cannot be broken or destroyed... no matter what."

Naruto felt himself breathing hard, much like he had when he summoned Gamabunta. Only instead of being exhausted, he felt he was being drained further on top of that exhaustion. He never felt so light-headed in his life.

"Not looking much like a ninja, are you, shadow clone boy?" Fubuki said, giving off her own smile. "20 ryo says he won't survive the day with it."

"You'd best hope those odds are wrong, Fubuki-_chan_," Doto said in a harsh voice, making the snow kunoichi shut up immediately.

Koyuki calmed herself, letting her face fall back into the emotionless mask she had worn so well. It had slipped for a moment there. "Now..." She turned around to see Doto walking up to her, his hand out. "... I'll take the Hex Crystal, if you don't mind."

Seeing no point in delaying or defying, she reached behind her neck and undid the string, handing it over to him. Doto eagerly took it before his smile faded. "What is this?"

Before the actress could say anything, her uncle grabbed her by the collar. "This isn't a game! You think I don't know this is a fake!?"

"F-fake...?" Koyuki repeated in disbelief. She looked at the Hex Crystal and saw he was right. At first glance, it did look like the Hex Crystal, but upon further inspection, it was only an icicle craved into the shape of the Hex Crystal, and rather crudely at that. "No... that's impossible...!" She shot a glance at Naruto.

Doto noticed her look and glance at Naruto. "Search him!"

Nadare, intrigued by this revelation knelt down and began patting the boy over as he took the boy's weapon pouch and kunai holster, dumping the weapons and items all over the floor. "Where is it?" he demanded to the boy.

"Piss off."

"Colorful language won't..." he stopped short, his eyes focusing. "Wait a second." He moved the boy's collar down a bit, seeing a necklace.

"What do we have here?" he asked loudly as he slipped it off the boy, ignoring the boy's protests. Nadare stood up, holding the necklace for all to see. It was a three-piece necklace, with a long crystal of sorts flanked by two smaller pieces on either side.

"Give. That. Back," Naruto growled, his voice hard. "Or I'll rip out your tongue and shove it down your throat!"

Doto, Mizore and Fubuki looked at the necklace with disinterest, seeing it wasn't the Hex Crystal as Doto threw Koyuki back on the sofa. Nadare, on the other hand, bent down, holding it in front of Naruto's face. "This is precious to you, isn't it?"

"Give it back!" the boy snapped again.

Nadare was liking this. The fire was back in the boy's spirit. Perhaps the opportunity was not lost after all. He slipped it on himself, looking at it in his hand. This, however, only caused the boy to laugh. "I missed the joke."

The one-eyed boy just gave a knowing smile. "You just sealed your fate."

"On the contrary," Nadare shot back, letting the necklace fall against his chest. "I think fate has _smiled _on me."

"Nadare, I don't care about your tastes in jewelry," Doto said. "Find the Hex Crystal."

"I doubt it's on his person," the Snow Shinobi said, looking at his boss. "Either he hid it somewhere... or..." he paled slightly.

Fubuki and Mizore got it immediately as did Naruto. "Sasuke has it," Naruto said quickly. "If you want it back, you better - "

"Set them free from their ice prison?" Fubuki guessed, looking very worried. She jumped to the upper level once again. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Stop." Doto ordered, Fubuki already halfway out the window. The Kagirinai Kachuu looked at Naruto. "The boy is lying. Hoping that you will save his friends."

"But... Doto-sama..." Mizore stated. "If the blond brat doesn't have it, then one of the other two must, with Kakashi dead."

"Then we know right where to look." Doto replied, giving off another smile. "We'll excavate their corpses tomorrow and retrieve the Hex Crystal. And Naruto can be reunited with his friends then!"

Nadare saw the boy furious for a second before a few tears fell down his face. Fubuki looked around then climbed back inside, leaping down to Naruto and giving some puppy talk as she tickled his chin.

He bit her fingers.

"GET HIM OFF ME!!!" Fubuki roared, trying to get her hand free as Mizore moved in to help. Nadare had to keep himself from laughing at the sight of Mizore trying to pull Naruto off Fubuki's hand while she bashed the boy with her free hand repeatedly. The boy's spirit was still intact even with his friends gone. Good. Nadare was going to jump on the next chance he had to see if the boy was worth his salt.

"Soon," Doto said as Mizore and Fubuki finally managed to get Naruto off as the man dragged him down to the brig below. "The Hex Crystal will be in our grasp and our plans will be realized at long last." He crushed the fake crystal in his hand, then let the dust slip through his fingers. "The age of the Five Great Ninja Villages is over... and the time of Snow has come!"

_On the verge of victory in a seemingly hopeless mission, Team 7 finds it cruelly slapped away only a few minutes later. Their leader already gone, two more have been condemned to a watery prison and the final member locked away in an airship for hardships he knows not._

_This is Team 7's..._

… _ultimate defeat._

* * *

(**Author's Note**) Whew! Done! And with a normal-sized chapter once more! I can't tell you how good it feels to go back to manageable chapters. And what a chapter it was! Team 7's victory is snatched away from them before they can enjoy it and it looks like all is lost. Raise your hands if you actually believe that ^_^

Something I noticed that my last chapter seemed a bit misleading, making several think it was the end of the story. It is only about halfway at this point, and I believe the misconception came from my ending note about Team 7's moment about being bestowed the name 'Konoha no Gogyou' as a final note of a story, rather than an element of foreshadowing, since we now know why Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke have been named such in Chuuten. I apologize to all who were misled. It was not my intention.

I'd like to take a moment to response some anonymous reviews. And I want everyone to hear this.

Special thanks to Tellemicus Sundance and Arganaut for helping me iron out the details of the Third Shinobi War.

First from Anonymous.

Anonymous has stated that he/she was disappointed. Not nearly good as he/she had hoped. That I stretched it out too much, Team 7's stamina especially and that I should have given Team 7 a chakra pack. Another point he/she called me out on stating that Konoha was only strong due to its bloodlines and that I... in the reviewer's own words... 'this chapter absolutely blew away the two primary bloodlines of konoha, with almost every other named character featuring some sort of unique battle skill. Consistancy is a must.'

Furthermore, Anonymous acknowledges my research as extensive and that the problem is I researched all the wrong cliches in the business. That he/she 'was sick of the 50+ ninjas doing amazing combination jutsu and missing entirely or doing what, at the time, appears to be major but then is quickly forgotten( a la scorched backs after climbing out of spike pit and ducking a katon jutsu). When you did remember them, they all seemed to catch up all at once, only to be forgotten AGAIN (which could be chalked up to adrenaline and instinct, but would have been better if it had been discussed formally instead of left to the reader's imagination).'

He also calls out on the usage of Nana and Popo, saying I have no permission to use them as well as my use of exclamation points in narrative text. That he/she found this chapter mediocre in both planning and execution. And finally that 'Your dedication is a breath of fresh air, but please, if you KNOW its not possible to write a good 50k chapter, write smaller, better chapters.'

First, let me thank Anonymous for the review. I have no problem being told I have done something wrong. I'm that type that's willing to take chances, make mistakes (yes, I used to watch the Magic Schoolbus). It's the only way to learn. With that said, here's my response to the review.

Alright, I'm sorry you feel disappointed. You compliment that I can write action with the best of them and for that I thank you. Though I am very curious how this chapter could have met your expectations. I throw out Snow Fire Users, Water ones. Earth. Wind. Lightning. Shinobi with bloodlines, and those with unique skills. I threw out a 100 meter tall Yeti, how many people were expecting a 100 meter tall Yeti? So by all means, do enlighten me on how the action could have been better.

Next about the stamina and stretching out. Yes, I already admitted in my previous chapter that I stretched it out too much. But in my opinion, it was worth it. The basis of the fight was 'Team 7 fights 50 ninja, they kick ass, they blow up train, VICTORY!' But just doing that was so... bland. Plus, it allowed me to do something I felt was very fun to do: allow reader input. I've been just on the reader end before, I know what it's like to offer suggestions and feedback and hope it gets added to the story somehow. Here's a rather funny example I did for Legacy of the Rasengan Part 1.

"As for guessing the new scenario for Itachi, I'm sure that whatever you have planned will be truly entertaining. My guess would be something involving the Hyuga, such as an assassination attempt on Naruto (whether the Hyuga council orders it or if some Hyuga simply act on their own). Itachi and Kisame use that as their distraction to separate Naruto from Jirayia. At the same time, Hinata and Neji find out what their clansmen are doing and go to warn/help Naruto and end up going with Naruto and Jiraiya to find Tsunade.(Hinata goes because of her feelings and Neji goes to try and truly understand Naruto and how he views destiny)."

And as we all know... Neji and Hinata did no such thing in the story. I bet Tellemicus laughed his head off in amusement at my suggestion.

The point is that I had an opportunity to allow reader input into a story... and I took it. It allowed the chapter to display the creative abilities of many other people's talent out there, not just me. And in my defense, that was well worth the stretching out.

As for giving Team 7 the Chakra Pack, that probably would have been a smart move. But remember back in Chapter 15, they all declined to take one, Sakura going as far to smash them, saying that they were more of a weakness than an asset. So in short, them wearing it would have been a contradiction. And as you amply said, 'consistency is a must'.

As for my cliches, researching the worst ones was my complete intention. And I based this research on forums I had visited, reading what members disliked and why and came to the conclusions I said in the last chapter.

For the snow shinobi, yes you can say they 'disappeared' when they were defeated. What did you want me to do? Mention in every paragraph that 'Danmari or Hari' are out cold? That would get very repetitive. They were 'forgotten' as you put it because they were out cold on the snow, so forgotten was the idea. They're out of the game. Now some of them did recover and re-enter the fight, and while this was emphasized greatly with named characters, it was meant to apply to ALL of the Snow Shinobi fighting. It was one of the best points I felt I could use to depict them as humans.

As for Popo and Nana... first off, I made sure to acknowledge that they weren't my own creations and give proper disclaimer for it with the line "The Ice Climbers, Popo and Nana, are the property of Nintendo. Credit goes to Neccor for their Naruto history version." It's right above the 'final enemies count' portion. Second, you do realize that this statement applies to EVERY aspect of fanfiction on this site, right? Anime. Cartoon. Movie. Book. Crossover. Naruto. Avatar. Star Wars. Lord of the Rings. Not one of these has any official permission from the source authors. That's why stating disclaimers and recognizing the creators is a requirement for each story, something I do at the end of each of my chapters. Third off, please tell me what difference it is to use the Ice Climbers material over say... the Naruto material in general. Fourth off, as I stated last chapter that the Ice Climbers, their Naruto version, their history and even their jutsu were all suggested by a reviewer, not I (and I gave him proper credit as well). I looked over the material I was given and decided to go ahead with it. And others quite enjoyed it.

Finally in regards to this line 'Your dedication is a breath of fresh air, but please, if you KNOW it's not possible to write a good 50k chapter, write smaller, better chapters.' I'm glad you appreciate my dedication and I thank you for it. But do not, even for one moment believe I would be willing post a half ass chapter. I most surely did not know if it was possible to post such a chapter or not.

Doing so was a gamble. I knew there was a chance it wouldn't be well received. But I also knew it was possible to receive positive remarks. If nothing else, it was a VERY interesting experience. Difficult, but interesting. And I gave Chapter 17 the most effort I had ever put into a fanfic chapter. I worked on it for months, giving it the best I could given what I was aiming for. And if I were to do it all over again, would I do it again? Yes. I would. The experience is one I want to keep. It's not one I would wish to repeat, but I certainly don't regret it.

So enclosing. Thank you for the large and insightful review and I'm glad to hear that you aren't a mindless reviewer. With that in mind, should you review again, I respectfully ask you to put a little more thought into your review. And make sure my errors... really are errors. Thank you.

Alright, next is addressed to evo.

He/she stated that it way too freakin long. And that did anyone die in it and that the whole aspect was overkill.

Again, thanks for the review. Okay, yes, it was way too long. I'll acknowledge that. Overkill is an ample word to describe it and to me, it's certainly a good thing, heh heh.

As for the death issue, several reviewers have also complained about this. Given it's a ninja story, it's a fair complaint. Here's my defense.

If you recall in chapter 15, Team 7 already went through the drama of 'do I have to kill', but let's go through them one at a time.

Sakura. As of this chapter, she has yet to take a life. And back in chapter 15, she was shaking badly at the thought of killing someone. She's not ready for it at this point. She even acknowledged that saving the life of one of her enemy (Hari) was a stupid move for her to make. But it's also human. That's why she didn't kill.

Sasuke. In chapter 16, Sasuke took his first life in the series with Shiga's death. And how he did it disturbed him considerably. In chapter 17, he stated he wasn't killing anyone because he didn't know if he was ready to more or not. Killing is a serious subject and I want to make sure I had the matter according.

Naruto. His first kill was Haku, back in Part 1 of the story in response to Haku "killing" Sasuke and Sakura. When he learned that Haku didn't survive, he was horrified. As a result, he doesn't kill unless he absolutely has to. With that in mind, most of the shinobi Naruto wouldn't need to fill the urge to kill them. Those that were a genuine threat, like Reigi, Naruto isn't going to hold that belief, not caring if they live or die at the end of it. It's just their luck. So while Reigi did live, if he had died, Naruto wouldn't have given it another thought.

Now that doesn't mean that Team 7 is going to have a 'We Don't Kill' mentality. All it means that the development of killing is going to be taken slowly. As I believe good development should.

Final one. From Ultron. And this review, I want all to see.

"Hello. You have done very well with creating this story. However, I believe that you may have overlooked a few personality traits of Tellemicus's Naruto. Please ignore it if my thesis is wrong, but isn't Naruto a bit more intelligent and patient than you make him out to be. Remember, doesn't he specialize in jutsu-making,therefore he is slightly more used to thinking back on and improving everything that he does. Also as a master prankster, and also due to his dark inner nature, he is first and foremost a master of stealth and deception and mid-battle strategy. Doesn't he always strike out with his newest and often most deadly techniques when he is assured of victory. One thing more, you still haven't had him do his 'thinking pose' which he always does when he reflects on the problems he is facing. Again, please disregard this mini-rant if I have incorrectly judged this Naruto. You are doing a rather good job with this fic though, and I hope that you continue and eventualy complete it. Best of luck."

First of all, thank you for the review and let me say, you are spot on. You are quite insightful. Something both Tellemicus and myself missed and give us both a good laugh. There are two things thing I want you to keep in mind.

First is that when this story started, it wasn't canon. That didn't happen until the fifth chapter and the first chapter of Chuuten. So I was adhering to keep within "Legacy canon" as much as I could, keep the characters in check and write similar to Tellemicus to his style of writing, but I also wanted to handle elements of the story my way so I could have my own skills recognized.

Second is that Naruto acting differently is half the point. Team 7 hasn't been exposed to a situation like the Snow Mission, exposing them to new dangers, new beliefs and new problems, so in my opinion, they should be reacting a little differently to what they have done in Part 1 and 2. Especially with the end of this chapter.

I will, however, openly admit that I should have used his 'thinking pose' at least when he was pondering on how to handle the different manipulations for the future Fuuton: Rasengan. I goofed on that and you caught. Job well done! I shall try harder in the future.

And if anyone read all this response, give yourself a pat on the back ^_^

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	19. Ill Fate has Fallen

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 19 – Ill Fate has Fallen_

**10:27 am. A few minutes prior to Naruto's capture**

**Sasuke**

Sasuke felt himself sinking back into the dark cold waters. He had been right up at the surface, only to be stopped by a huge amount of ice. He didn't know if he could form a Faiatama or set an exploding tag to try and free them. Whether it would actually work underwater or if it would just be a futile attempt, he knew it didn't matter now. His strength was gone, his body limp, his lungs screaming for air as he felt his vision darken. Sakura slipped out of his arm as they both sank.

Only his mind was active.

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you're at death's door. But what you see is often not what you expect. And the first flash Sasuke experienced was definitely not one he would expect.

_A six-year-old Sasuke was playing in his room with toy shuriken. Scattered around the room were various other items, such as building blocks, a small TV in the corner, even a few stuffed animals around. _

Huh... he had forgotten about those. What did he call them again? He didn't remember. Only that he had been fond of them. That was kind of funny; he, Sasuke, had played with stuffed animals in his younger years...

"_I'm home." _

_The young Sasuke perked up immediately as he dropped his plastic shuriken and ran out of the room, right as his beloved older brother walked across his door, jumping into his arms. "Big brother! Welcome home! Let's play!"_

_Itachi just gave a smile in return as their mother came walking over, a laundry basket in her arms. "Sasuke!Your brother has his Academy homework to do! You can play afterwards!"_

_Sasuke saddened immediately, depressed. It had been weeks since his older brother could play with him. That look was all Itachi needed as he told their mother his homework was easy, and the two went out to play hide and seek. Out of the corner of young Sasuke's eye, he saw his mother's disapproving look change into a small smile as she went about gathering clothes to be washed. _

That's right... mother... had always said 'work first, play later'. She had been a strong believer in that. But she could never remain angry or disapproving for long. Especially when seeing both of her sons smiling and happy.

Would you smile now, mother?

_Grunting in concentration, Naruto's back hunched forward as his body grew taut with strain. Then, with a louder burst now that he was closer, Sasuke watched as water erupted from the general area of both his hands._

_He continued to watch with a growing interest. Making sure that he was hidden perfectly in the underbrush, Sasuke waited patiently for the blond to move._

_Apparently, whatever Naruto was doing had caused him to lose focus because he suddenly dropped into the pond and had to climb to shore. Dropping to his knees and panting loudly, he just sat there for a moment. However, after a loud and deep breath, he climbed back onto his feet._

_An excitement suddenly rose in Sasuke for a second. Maybe the dobe was attempting to make another jutsu, probably something with water. He suspected that the idiot had created that smokescreen and image blur like he had with the Oiroke no Jutsu. What was it was trying to make now?_

"_I know you're there, Sasuke, Sakura," Naruto barked angrily._

_The realization that he hadn't been able to sense Sakura's approached due to his lack of attention was like a slap to his face. Snorting in disdain at being caught, by a dobe nonetheless, Sasuke merely turned and walked away with a glare on his face._

"_Why were you two spying on me?" Naruto asked bluntly, watching as Sakura stared yearningly at Sasuke's retreating back for a moment._

That's right... Naruto's knack for creating jutsu had caught his interest even way back then... times seemed so much simpler then... they would argue... Sakura would crush on him... berate Naruto... Naruto would utter some kind of comeback...

Comparing that to what they were doing now – all three of them arguing, Sakura hating his guts and working alongside Naruto willingly, and that even he and the blond could put aside their differences and work together – it hardly seemed like they were the same people from back then.

And now... Kakashi was gone... and soon... him and Sakura as well... he had tried... and failed. If he had... been quicker at defeating Fubuki... maybe Kakashi would still be around... if he had been stronger, faster, quicker... maybe he and Sakura wouldn't be meeting their end in some icy forsaken tomb... he couldn't even save her when he was trying...

"_Those that are closest to me are in this room right now. And I'm going to stand with them." He looked specifically at Sakura now. "And I swear to you on my own life that you won't die."_

Looks like he had his answer... he _would _give his life to save her. Why? Why didn't matter. Too bad he failed miserably at it. Now they were both dead... just like...

_An eight-year-old Sasuke was frantically running through his clan's grounds. Bodies. Bodies were everywhere. Frightened and worried, he ran to his own home looking for his mother, father, and brother, praying with all his being that they were still alive amongst this tragedy. He came to the main room, ignoring a voice warning him not to come in._

"_Father! Mother!" the young boy shouted, disregarding the warning as he ran right into the room. The sight he saw next would forever leave a scar in his heart. It was his parents' bloodied bodies on the ground with a shadowy figure looming over them, a blood-stained katana held in its hand before quickly sheathing it. The figure then stepped out of the shadows._

_His older brother. Itachi. _

"_Brother!" Sasuke had shouted, sure that he had came in looking for the killer. No one could defeat his brother after all. "Father! Mother! They're... they're... Why!? Who the hell did this...!?" Sasuke was sure his brother knew exactly what was going on. _

_And he was right. Just not the way he expected._

_That's when a shuriken flew by him, cutting his cheek as it hit the door. "Foolish otouto." That's when Itachi closed his eyes and when he opened then, his Sharingan had shifted into a new three-pointed design. _

_Images of Itachi slaughtering the clan played through his mind with sheer intensity and weight as he watched each clan member fall to him one by one until the end with their parents._

I looked up to you...! How could you do it!? Why... why did you do it?! What would you think of me now, 'brother'? Dying because I tried to save someone... wretched and repulsive? I can live with that... anything to make you miserable, you insufferable bastard...

… brother... why...?

_He was at a small bridge overlooking a pond as he ran through the seals for the jutsu he practiced for the last hour. His father was watching again. This time, he would succeed. This time, he would get his father's approval._

_'I cannot fail!' Those words rang through his mind as he performed the Goukakyuu no Jutsu for his father the second time that day. This time, he blew out a fireball that was equal to the size his father had done, with loud, explosive results. He eagerly looked to see his father's approving face, only to see his back as he walked away._

_His face had fallen, an all new pain hitting him as a result as he desperately tried to figure out what he did wrong this time._

"_As I expected, you are my child."_

_Sasuke's face jerked up at his father, hardly believing Fugaku was saying the others he longed to hear for as long as he could remember._

"_You did well. You may shamelessly wear the family crest on your back. You must now improve, and then you can soar to new heights."_

"_OKAY!!"_

That had been the only time he heard his father's praise and approval. His mother had proclaimed that at night, his father couldn't help but talk about him, but that was the first and only time he saw his father actually do it. And it made him so happy... so proud...

Though... he didn't remember his Goukakyuu _exploding_ during it...

_The four of them were now standing together. His father standing tall, his mother at his side. Itachi was at his father's shoulder and Sasuke himself was in front of his mother, her hands resting on his shoulders, squeezing them. Tightly... too tightly..._

Ouch... that hurts... his family... all four of them... at times he thought it would just last forever. Just the four of them the way it had always been. Father, the quiet and watchful leader; mother, the supportive and loving caretaker; Itachi, the role model and rival; and himself, the striving and watchful one. Now he felt himself being raised upward. Dandy. Must be dead now and ascending. What a crappy way to die...

_Now he was standing in the midst of Kakashi, Sakura and Naruto as a member of Team 7. Kakashi was behind them standing just as tall and proud as Fugaku had been. Sakura was standing on his left, those admiring eyes laying on him like they did in the beginning and Naruto on his right, giving a small scowling look, but eyes that gave a glance of mutual respect between the two._

Team 7. The new family. Did it replace the first one? Yes and no. They had similar roles: Kakashi and Fugaku the overseer and director, Sakura and Mikoto the comforter, and Naruto and Itachi the rival. Both the same and different, but by no means a replacement for what he had. Rather, something new to help him strive and live.

_Naruto turned Sasuke around and punched him hard in the gut._

Oh, the JERK! Even when he was dead, that little pipsqueak hothead couldn't help but get on his freaking nerves! What he wouldn't give to...

RELIEF!!!

Sasuke found air exploding into his lungs again. resulting in a deep gasp as he felt the water fall off him. The blackness around him was slowly coming back into focus as the distinct colors made their way back into his vision. Sounds began filling his ears again as he found himself on all fours, coughing and hacking up water.

He heard something that sounded very much like a swear. Looking into that direction, he saw nothing there other than tiny bits of smoke as Sasuke took in his surroundings. He was out of the lake, now on top of the ice that had encased it, breathing in that wondrous air. Looking down at his left side, he saw Sakura's form lying on her back.

_We're... not... dead? _Sasuke thought as a brief gust of chilling wind hit the back of his neck. That certainly felt real. He then slapped himself on the face several times. He was still frozen to the bone, his sense of touch almost non-existent, so numbed by the cold and his vision was hazy. Carefully, he tried out his voice. "It's... damn... _cold..."_

He touched his throat, expecting some sort of trick before finally beginning to believe the impossible: he was alive! They were both alive! How? He frantically looked around for any type of answer. He saw the battlefield and train tracks off to their right where they had fought all those Snow Ninja, the scars on the land still remaining from all the jutsu used. He didn't see another person around. Anywhere.

So then... how did they survive? Did someone save them? Who? No one was around. Did he somehow manage to break both Sakura and himself free from that ice trap? He didn't think so...

Maybe Kami was finally cutting him a break. He had no other answer.

A faint smile appeared on his face at his unexpected good fortune. Something had gone right in his favor for once. He looked over at Sakura. "Hey. Sleeping beauty. We have to get moving."

No response.

A bit worried, he knelt over her, checking her pale face.

She wasn't breathing.

"No... Sakura..." the boy started, the tone in his voice one he couldn't remember using before; frantic. He slapped her face lightly. "Come on... don't do this... we're out... come on, here!"

Again she didn't response. Without thinking, Sasuke's head lowered in a second, his mouth to her mouth, his lips touching hers as he breathed into her. "Come on... please...!" he said as he pulled back and put his hands on her chest, pumping up and down as he counted. "One, Two, Three! Don't you dare leave!"

Once more, there was nothing as he knelt down again and breathed into her a second time. "Don't you _dare _leave..." he said more softly. He felt himself becoming more desperate as he started pumping on her chest again 'One, Two, Three!' Still no response. "Say something!" he demanded, breathing hard as he looked at her still form. "Punch me! Kiss me! Hate me! Embrace me! Say you'll knock my block off! Something! I'm _begging _you here!!"

For a third time, his mouth clasped on hers. What he didn't notice, though, was a small tear falling from his right eye as it splashed on her face. "... please don't leave..." he said in a voice so quiet as he started pressing on her chest again. "I don't want to go through this again. I don't want to lose another precious person. One, Two -"

Sakura suddenly began coughing. First a small one, then a louder one. She coughed several times as water spat from her mouth. Color began returning to her face as she took in a breath. Then another and another. Then she began breathing on her own as Sasuke just fell on his butt in relief, hardly believing it.

She was breathing...

_**She was breathing**__!_

"Thank you..." he whispered, subconsciously touching his face, realizing it was wet anew. Not believing it, he checked around his eye to confirm it. He had been crying. No, he didn't... oh... fine! So he cried. She was important to him. Fine, okay, whatever. It wasn't like anyone was going to know.

He stood up and stretched, hoping his body would still respond despite the cold. He didn't get out of drowning to just freeze to death. He glanced downward at Sakura and saw she still had a bad bump on the head from where Mizore he struck her. Tearing a small piece of his cloak off, he wrapped the makeshift bandage around her head, hoping that would be enough, before putting her on his back and walking through the frozen ice forest, moving until he cleared the trees back to the solid snow ground.

True enough, his eyes hadn't deceived him. There wasn't a soul in sight. Not even the defeated Snow Ninja were here. Who moved them out, their friends in that blimp? Where was everyone? He began walking through the area, seeing the impressions in the snow from where many of the snow ninja had fallen. However, what he also saw was what looked like large animal tracks everywhere. _Someone recovered them, _Sasuke thought.

The wind blew against his neck again, prompting him to turn around to the horizon, only to come to a complete stop. "... you have _got _to be kidding me..."

The horizon was filled with big black clouds, a low rumble sounding through the air as they moved steadily closer to the two Leaf Genin. A storm was coming.

A _bad _one.

It was going to be upon them in minutes. So that's why everyone cleared out as fast as they could. They didn't want to get caught up in that. Sasuke looked around himself for any signs of shelter. There was the lake, of course, and the forest surrounding them. There was the long train tunnel Naruto and Koyuki had gone through, except the entrance was covered with a thick blanket of snow now. Some stray jutsu must have collapsed it.

"Wonderful," Sasuke said in a hard voice. "Just wonderful." He glanced over his shoulder to see Sakura still out cold on his shoulder. She wasn't going to be much help. And unless he found some shelter quick, they were both doomed.

He started walking, only to stop just as quickly as he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. Laying on the snow beside him was a discarded katana. Sasuke's eyes rested on it, recalling how he had broken two (or was it three?) of those already in the last fight. Did he really need another one?

On the other hand, his kunai and shuriken were now gone since he gave them to Sakura, and having a sword _had _proven useful. He breathed out, giving a half smile as he knelt down and grabbed it. "I'll give this one three hours before I break it," he mused as he stabbed it through his now-empty kunai holster as a makeshift sheath. He then shifted the girl on his back as he began walking north into the forest. Maybe the trees would provide some protection.

"... Mr. Oinky-kun..." he said after a moment as he walked. "Mander-chan... that's what I called them."

* * *

**10:31 am**

**Quarter of a kilometer away from the battlefield**

Homare was following Taigi back to the battlefield as they leapt from frozen tree branch to frozen tree branch. His teammate had claimed he heard an explosion from the battlegrounds and Homare was tagging along so that when Taigi saw nothing, he could convince the man to head back to what they should be doing instead of wasting time chasing ghosts.

About twenty seconds later, both of them landed on the snow-covered ground. Homare looked around, seeing the ruined train, discarded weapons and ruined landscape. He looked up as he saw the storm approaching, the wind already getting intense as he had to cover his eyes to protect against it. "It all looks the same to me."

"I know I heard something," Taigi insisted as he looked through the snow, kicking debris aside as he looked through the train. "And if it's not..." he stopped suddenly as though realizing something. Without warning, he took off toward the frozen lake, Homare following a moment later. "You're not going to find... anything..."

A section of the ice had been blown apart, leaving a hole to the water underneath. "I knew it!" Taigi said, practically vibrating with excitement despite the cold and wind. "Someone got them out! The Uchiha is still alive!"

When the _Ironwill _had started pulling back, both men had witnessed Mizore striking the girl, which knocked her into the lake, how the Uchiha had dove in after her and Seihyouki Kijo had frozen the lake over with the ice kunai.

As expected, Taigi had lost any lingering hope that he could kill the Uchiha himself as the two of them began assisting the recovery efforts led by the Alpha Team. Those shinobi who had remained inside the train to operate the kunai launchers were the medics (aside from Kiganai, Kiou and Ikusa) among the group, which was why they didn't join in the fighting. Summoning several large snow creatures, the medics, Alpha and Gamma Teams put their comrades on the animals' backs and moved them to a safer location. They had been in the middle of moving their comrades away when Taigi swore he heard something back at the battlefield, prompting him to take off back there. Homare had followed along mostly to humor Taigi so they could go back to the more important matter of helping the others.

Only now he saw that Taigi had been justified. This certainly complicated things. There was no question in Homare's mind which was the more honorable choice between helping their fellows or tracking the two Leaf Ninja.

Homare didn't say a thing as he saw Taigi walked around, clearly looking for any sort of sign of which direction the Uchiha and possibly the kunoichi had gone.

The Snow Fuuton user could already see the counter-arguments his teammate would use. They weren't medics, they wouldn't be able to help out anyway, and if the Leaf Ninja had survived, it was their duty to hunt them down and neutralize them as per Doto's orders. To strike them down now before they had a chance to recover.

Homare considered what to say to him. That just being a pair of willing hands would be helpful with the wounded. That neither of them were trackers and had any idea how to pursue the two. That there was a freaking_ storm_ coming on top of them and staying out in it was suicidal.

The Loyalist turned his head and looked at his teammate. "Let's go."

Loyalist. It was very easy to forget that this man was one of Doto's chosen. That he held a considerable amount of power regardless of what his official rank was. Plus, he was worried about the man going off on revenge... and what might happen if he succeeded. And in his personal opinion, taking revenge when the kids were tired and weak was a cowardly and criminal way to do it. Honor demanded you faced your opponent at their best, both giving your all as you fought for your reasons. A test of true combat, character and dignity.

He gave a sigh as he held up his hands in resignation. "Lead the way, boss."

Hopefully the others would get along just fine and that he would be able to keep Taigi in line as he followed the man southward.

* * *

**11:28 am**

**Daimyo's Castle **

Unknown to many outside of their country's borders, Doto's castle had an official name. A name he felt described it perfectly for what it was and what it represented.

Kuro Kiba Shiro.

Black Fang Castle.

As previously established, the Daimyo's castle and the actual capital were not located in the same place because it was believed by Snow that by having them in two separate locations, they could still keep the chain of command should something happen to either the castle or the capital. But there was another reason as well.

Black Fang Castle was located in between two large mountains, with the back of it directly on a cliff edge that spanned over eight hundred meters to the ground. Strategically speaking, there was a degree of sense to this. The position was more defendable as there were only limited ways to approach Black Fang, much less attack it. The main road was really the only feasible option. However, due to being backed in a corner, there was also lack of escape for those inside if worse came to worse. The only real escape opportunity was that of the _Ironwill _itself. A method that would allow only thirty of the entire castle population of over a thousand to evacuate.

Naturally, one could scale the cliff face to attack from the rear, but this offered its own degree of danger. Should the attackers be spotted before they reached the top, they would find themselves in a very poor position that would almost certainly result in a complete loss of troops.

As a means to compensate for the location, a number of outposts were stationed upon the top ridges of the castle to cover blindspots. Each one of these was operated by a Snow Ninja of the Loyalist faction, able to quickly warn Black Fang should an attack come.

The castle itself was a fair size with many facilities featured. Encompassing half a circle to the cliff edge, there was only one main gate for entry from the main road. On the wall perimeter were eight guard towers that served as defensive fortifications and lookouts.

Once one entered through the main gate, they came to the castle square, where people gathered when Doto gave his speeches, issued decrees, or gave orders. The main stable was located on the left side of the square, while a smaller, lesser stable was located on the right.

Below the main stable was the castle blacksmith, responsible for forging all the standard samurai and shinobi weapons for the castle personnel. It was located right next to the landing pad of the _Ironwill, _allowing the blacksmiths quick and fast access for repairs. Three small air balloons rested at the landing pad's side.

On the opposite side of the blacksmith was the armory. Most of the castle's weapons were located here. Swords. Spears. Axes. Maces. Kunai. Shuriken. Wires. Exploding tags. The works. Weapons all of types and sizes were located here, and in times of war, could arm much of the Snow Country. Naturally, access here was restricted as it was constantly under guard, requiring written permission from either Doto, one of his warlords, or a Loyalist for the common man to enter.

At the very end was the castle itself. A huge towering building that had very little artistry to it. Every detail about the place screamed 'power'. The castle wasn't designed to look pleasing to the eye like the old Kazahana palace of old. No, this place was designed for warfare and made sure to give such an impression. The Castle was home to Doto, those of his personal favor, and a hundred Loyalists, including the San Eihei.

To the castle's left side was a large kitchen building, where the best cooks Snow had to offer worked diligently day and night to make sure all were fed with only the best meals.

On the castle's right side were the samurai and servant quarters. Simple enough living quarters for both. Basic room with a bed, sink and table for each, with showers at the end of the hallways. There was no need for other things in the rooms as the servants were constantly working to keep the palace and its grounds clean, while the samurai were constantly on duty with patrols and guarding. The quarters were home to seven hundred samurai and five hundred servants.

The castle also sat on top of a large cavern that Doto took full advantage of. It was here where his prison and personal lab for the Chakra Armor were located.

It was also the location of the Hell Asylum.

The castle personnel saw the air blimp descending from the sky. The shinobi and samurai began walking towards the landing pad as they were accustomed to doing. Doto always enjoyed a welcoming committee when he returned to his home.

The airship landed soundlessly on its landing pad as the door opened up. Doto himself exited first, pleased to see the samurai and his Loyalists lined up in greeting for him. They stood in neat rows of ten each. Each side had a hundred samurai standing in salute, and in front of them were twenty Loyalist Snow Shinobi.

Next came several of the _Ironwill_'s crew flanking him, Rouga Nadare coming out next with a young woman at his side. It took many of them a few moments to recognize her as the warriors began muttering to themselves that it was the princess.

Following the two were the other two members of the San Eihei, Kakuyoku Fubuki and Fuyukuma Mizore. In between them was a young leaf shinobi with blond hair in a black and orange jumpsuit. He had whisker-like marks on his face and his left eye was firmly shut. His arms were bound securely behind his back and they all recognized a Chakra Restraining Device attached to his torso. Doto had finally gotten a guinea pig for it and they all breathed a mental sign of relief that it wasn't them.

They had all heard of the Princess returning home and that she was bringing a small team of Leaf Ninja, but most had been sure they would have fled once they saw the seriousness of the situation. Well, _one_ was captured at least. Any others were probably dead as a result.

Fubuki just shot a smirk at the young boy, who was still a bit crestfallen from the news of his teammates. He hadn't spoken a word since Mizore had dragged him off to the brig.

The Ice Maker Witch gave her hand an unconscious shake, trying to numb the pain from the brat's teeth. Seriously, what kind of shinobi bit their opponent? She could still feel the teeth marks on her hand, nearly certain that they were going to leave a lasting impression. Oh, she was going to _enjoy _paying the boy back for that little antic.

As they disembarked, a single snow ninja walked in between the rows of men, coming up to Doto as the San Eihei came to a halt, as well the others. The woman was old, at least 70. She was quite small, just barely taller than Naruto himself. Her face as heavily wrinkled and she was missing several teeth. Her eyes were gray, but filled with strength. She wore a thick white cloak, and underneath that was thick clothing in the forms of a long sleeve shirt, thick white gloves on her hands, wool pants and gray boots. A large Loyalist symbol was on her shirt and back of the cloak. She was a rarity among the Snow Shinobi for several reasons, one of the most prominent being that there was no Chakra armor or accessories on her person as she was one of the few that did not use it.

She was also the person that made Fubuki and her teammates the most uneasy.

This old kunoichi was Youba Akufu. The Enigma of Snow and leader of the Loyalist faction.

Hardly anyone knew about her or her past. Due to her age, it was said she was one of the first to attend the Academy when Bansou established Yukigakure. It was said she had been kicked out of the Academy within the first week, though people differed on the reason why. Some say she scared the instructors, others say she was too uncooperative to learn. Some even said she killed a fellow student and that she had to run as a result.

Whatever the reason, Akufu had wandered the countryside afterwards. All attempts to find her were in vain. She would appear and disappear like the wind, making many believe she was a witch and not a shinobi. This belief was furthered by the few times people had seen her fight. Able to cast ninjutsu without a single handseal. Some even claimed she could do it without even moving a muscle.

The San Eihei were acknowledged as the strongest of the Loyalists, but it was felt that Akufu could give them all a run for their money if she tried. After Doto claimed leadership from his brother, he had somehow tracked down the lady – if she truly be called such – for his Loyalists as acting leader. While the San Eihei were capable of the position, they weren't readily available due to their duties as bodyguards and carrying out the Daimyo's personal orders. As such, someone was needed to keep order with the Loyalists and direct their activities. For reasons never explained, Doto chose Akufu for the job.

Alongside being in charge of the Loyalists, Akufu was the overseer of Snow Country Tech, the industry that manufactured the Chakra armor pieces and its accessories to later sell to the Snow Ninja or provide the materials needed for Jonin potentials when they created their own armor.

Snow Country Tech had started as a small family business decades back with the creation of the Ice Kunai, a popular weapon used among the Loyalists. Using a combination of Ninjutsu and Fuuinjutsu, the makers sealed actual ice within them and not chakra-manufactured ice. There were several reasons for this, the first of which was that man-made ice was actually stronger than chakra-manufactured ice, believe it or not. Another was that it was more easily controlled in its creation, allowing for an easier sealing process.

As such, the family set up a small factory where they harvested and grew Icicles for the ice kunai. A long process, but the results were worth the wait. It was here that Kaigen first got the idea to invent the Chakra Armor, which would lead to many similar inventions for the Snow Country.

Then Doto took over and one of his first acts was to assume control of the business. He expanded it greatly, turning it into an enormous industry to produce not only the ice kunai, but other chakra-related items in bulk. To the Loyalists especially.

Being a Loyalist entitled one to several benefits that ordinary Snow Ninja did not get, the first of which was higher pay for missions with a constant stream of 'bonuses'. Another was that they received the best of the Snow Technology at cheaper rates than the rest of Yukigakure. Loyalists also had unspoken authority and power among them. If a Loyalist Chunin were to "suggest" something to a standard Jonin, the Jonin would be wise to act on that "suggestion". Loyalists were also entitled to carry out surprise inspections in order to find terrorists, discourage rebels, make sure no one had items they weren't supposed to have and so on. Finally, only Loyalists had access to the village's best jutsu scrolls and training regimens. This allowed Doto to keep his followers one step ahead of the rest of the village.

"My lord," Akufu said in a low yet stern voice as she gave a bow. "I am pleased to see your safe return."

"Your actions are noted," Doto replied. Naruto just looked up at the old hag as Doto walked over to her and whispered something into the old crone's ear. She brightened up considerably as she gave Naruto a toothy grin, something that sent shivers down the boy's spine.

"Find out just what makes him... tick," Doto declared loudly, sending his own sadistic smile towards the boy. The crone gestured toward two Loyalists at the lines, who walked up to Naruto in response, each grabbing a shoulder as they marched him into place right behind Akufu.

Fubuki almost felt a touch of sympathy for the boy. Whatever Doto thought the boy was, Akufu was going to take a few... drastic... steps to either validate or disprove Doto's theory.

And that was going to be quite _intense. _

Doto watched the four enter the castle until they disappeared from sight. "Nadare. Fubuki. Mizore."

"Yes sir," the San Eihei responded, snapping attention to their leader.

"Gather my Warlords to convene in the meeting room at once."

All three nodded.

The time for Snow to act was fast approaching!

* * *

**11:34 am. A few minutes later**

**Naruto**

The blond gave a grunt, which only got the two guards to tighten their grips on his shoulders as they walked. He could still feel that damned Chakra device on him and was not enjoying it one bit.

"Cheeky little thing, aren't ya?" Akufu said, beaming at the idea.

He had been led into the castle. The place was huge, but once inside, he found it was spacious but very little was in it. No decorations around, not even rugs. What kind of idiot had so much space and didn't use it? The only answer Naruto got was that Doto had a serious inferiority complex.

"Now, I'll ask ya again," the Loyalist leader spoke as they took a turn down another hallway. "Are ya a Jinchuuriki?"

"... what's a Jinchuuriki?" Naruto quipped again. And again, the two shinobi just increased their grips on his shoulders. Like that kind of pain could hurt.

It was nothing compared to knowing what became of Sasuke and Sakura.

Youba Akufu just chuckled again as they reached a downward spiral stairway. "Alright then, my pretty," the old bat said. "Is the Kyuubi no Kitsune sealed within ya?"

"Kyuubi? Never heard of it. That some kind of noodle?"

"Considering your name means 'fish-paste cake', I find that ironic, kya heh heh!"

"You shouldn't laugh," Naruto retorted as he was just marched down the stairs. "It makes you uglier."

"Beauty is only skin deep with the self-absorbed, my little pet," Akufu countered. The four suddenly stopped descending as she opened a door. It took Naruto's eye a moment to adjust to the darkened environment, but he saw it was a large, barely lit cavern with prison cells lined up on either side.

"You think locking me up is going to crack me?" Naruto asked, not really caring as the four walked on forward.

This time, the old crone looked over her shoulder, that toothless smile back. "You'd be surprised what total darkness and confinement can do to those even with the most steeled of nerves. But no, my pretty, that is not what awaits ya."

"... what then?" Now he was starting to worry.

The old bat ignored his question. "So if the Kyuubi isn't sealed within ya, then how do ya explain that strange power Doto said ya used during the fight?"

"Maybe he's just dumb and can't tell what chakra is. I hear dictators aren't all that smart. That they're so _blind_ they can't see what's happening under their own nose."

The Yuki-nin on Naruto's left actually reached for a kunai this time, fully preparing to use it on the boy, but Akufu merely held up her gloved hand, stopping the action. "Blind is such a relative term. But even a blind man can tell that there is something off about ya."

"If you're referring to my charming etiquette, you're way off base, _bitch._"

"What do you say happened to the Kyuubi then, if it's not sealed within ya? What's your source of power?" Akufu pressed, once again ignoring his comment as they continued passing cells. Not one of them occupied.

"_Duh, _the Yondaime Hokage killed it when it attacked Leaf all those years ago."

"On October 31st," the kunoichi supplied.

"On the _tenth, _bitch," Naruto corrected.

Once again, she showed that smile of hers as she looked at him in the eye. "Which wouldn't happen to be your own _birthday_ now, would it, my pretty?"

Naruto stopped himself from making another smart aleck retort, wondering if he was saying too much even with all the crap he was spewing out. That's when they reached the end of the path to a large stone wall with a single iron door. Akufu walked over to it and put a key in the hole, unlocking it. Once it was opened, they all walked inside. Or at least the three Yuki-nin walked; Naruto was shoved in, falling first on his knees then face. Bright lights flickered on, making Naruto involuntarily close his eye as a result before opening it again, everything coming into focus.

It was a lab. A fairly large one at that. It was neat and clean with many tables, closets, shelves and drawers around. Chakra armor parts, tools, diagrams, test tubes and other items Naruto couldn't put a name to were everywhere, just cluttered on all the space like some toddler had thrown them on... yet there seemed to be some organization to it as well. Parts and pieces that looked similar were on one table, needles were on another and so on.

Akufu gestured toward one clear table, prompting the ninja to roughly grab the boy again as he felt the bonds on his arms cut, and both men held him up in the air, turned him around and shoved him down hard against the table on his back. Next thing he knew, he found his ankles and wrists being strapped down. He glanced at them as he felt the table rotating upward, bringing him to a 'standing' position. The straps looked like ordinary leather, but felt as strong as steel. He noticed some kind of seal etched on them as he tried to identify its purpose. Strengthening? Drawing his chakra (not that that was needed)? What?

"Ya claim you're not a Jinchuuriki," Akufu commented, rolling what looked like a large body mirror over to Naruto. "And that ya have no idea what the Kyuubi is even thought ya know your Hokage defeated it." She looked at his reflection and tapped it fondly like it was a treasure chest as she turned her head towards the boy.

"Let's find out if that's true. The Mirror knows all." At that, the glass seemed to begin... glowing? Naruto breathed out harder as he felt sweat dropping down his forehead as he watched that thing glow brighter and brighter, an ominous red glow about it. "Aaaahh..." Naruto gasped out unexpectedly as he clenched his mouth and jerked his head to the side, trying not to not look at that thing. "AAAHHH! What the _HELL _do you think you're – **AAAAAAHHH!!" **

And so Naruto's screams echoed down the empty prison halls. Each one louder and with more anguish.

* * *

**Five Minutes prior.**

A single Yuki shinobi escorted Koyuki down the same flight of stairs Naruto himself had just descended. The actress/princess's face show no hint of emotion, no indication of what she was thinking, just keeping her eyes downward on the ground as the man led her on.

They stopped at one cell as the man unlocked and opened it, gesturing Koyuki inside. She went in without a word of protest, watching the door being locked behind her and the man moving away. No doubt back to the castle proper.

With eyes that might suit a dead person, she looked around her new home. It was fairly nice. A sink and a small toilet. A bed that actually looked decent. A comfortable looking chair. Even a nice rug in the middle. The temperature was surprisingly warm as well.

Koyuki just gave a roll of the eyes. This was obviously not standard for the prison cells. What was Doto trying to do, win her over? Seek her approval for what he had done? Did he think she would actually start supporting him for whatever reason?

She didn't believe such things were possible. Though she had to admit, she was surprised she wasn't on the headman's block already. That was the first thing she expected. She no longer had the Hex Crystal, so she had nothing Doto wanted. Maybe he just wanted to make a spectacle of it. Let all of Snow see their "last hope" die and crush any lingering dissidents and supporters.

That's when she heard the first scream. It was faint, so she thought her mind was playing tricks on her. Then it happened again, and Koyuki found herself looking around walking up to the bars. Her eyes scanned the area, trying to identify the source.

That's when the third one came as Koyuki looked in that direction, now recognizing that voice. Naruto.

_By this time, Doto's face was completely red with fury and nearly ready to blow his top. How dare the brat not recognize him! "I'm going to _enjoy_ torturing you to death, _brat!_ Very. SLOWLY!"_

That had been her uncle's response to Naruto's verbal slander of him back when the train first pulled out. Looks like he was delivering on that promise.

"... you should had listened to me, Naruto," Koyuki said, surprised that her voice was actually soft and sad, even though she was trying to be indifferent to it as she turned around walking to the bed. "You all should have. I told you all it was hopeless. That you couldn't get rid of Doto-ojiki. That if you went along with this mission, you three would end up dead like your sensei...

… why didn't you listen?"

The only response was another scream, more painful than the last, as she sat down on the bed and took a deep breath. She wondered how long she had before someone came announcing her execution date.

* * *

**Approximately half an hour earlier. 10:58 am.**

**Sasuke. **

"... you know... I could be in nice _warm _Sound right now. But noooooo. I had to do the _honorable _thing. I had to just stay home at the Leaf like a good little boy. _And look where it's gotten me!!_ On damn _probation _until the blasted team says otherwise, stranded in this STUPID, STINKING HELLHOLE of a country, lost a sensei, lost the idiot blond, nearly DROWNED to save the girl that I'm sure is going to kill me, _if she ever frickin' wakes up, _for 'taking advantage of her' while I try and build a damn shelter... IN THE MIDDLE OF A _FUCKING __**BLIZZARD**_!!!"

Sasuke just gave another grunt as he put the final ice block on the structure. The last half hour had been a real hell if he ever knew one.

When he first started walking, he had no idea where to go, but two things had been foremost in his mind.

The first was to get as far away from the battlefield as possible. Even if the defeated Yuki-Nin were recovered already, Sasuke was positive that some others would return to clean up and gather the gear, as well as excavating his and Sakura's "corpses", so he wanted to get as far away as possible.

The second was to find some shelter from the cold and approaching storm. He had hoped to find some sort of cave to use, but nothing came within sight. He would have pushed himself to keep on walking for another half an hour or so, but he knew that it was suicidal. His entire body was numb, he could barely see a thing thanks to the storm, he was terribly cold and at times he felt an urge to just _sleep_. And since the girl was still out cold on his back, he could only imagine she was that much worse off than he was. He found himself having to slap her face a few times to make sure she was still breathing and alive on his back.

So after twenty minutes of walking, he knew what he had to do. If he couldn't find a shelter, he'd just have to make one. How hard could it be? He found the base of a hill that he felt would work as he took off his own cloak and wrapped Sakura in it, hoping she could last long enough until he built this damn thing.

Not really having a clue what to do, he just did the best he could. He dug into the snow as much as he could, making a hole about nine feet deep, seven feet wide and five feet high by his estimation. Once that was done, he dragged the girl inside it as he used the snow he had scooped out to build a makeshift wall at the opening to seal it off, leaving two openings. One was high on the top of the wall at a vertical angle to allow sunlight in and smoke out. The second was a small, thin opening between the snow wall and hill to allow him to get in and out. He just hoped that this was camouflaged enough to look natural so that any passing Snow Ninja wouldn't suspect.

Since he had cover Sakura with his own cloak, he was even colder now. So to keep himself awake and on track, he made himself talk out loud, about anything on his mind. He didn't care what. Not so surprisingly, most of it came out as complaining about the predicament he was in. Some might say that was self-defeating and that he should think of happier things. Sasuke liked to think of it as further motivation to complete this damn shelter to get out of this _cold _hell.

With his last self rant, he put the last snow block on his makeshift wall and called it done. He had managed to complete it in just about ten minutes. While he was ready to just jump in to what he hoped was warmth, he knew he had one more thing to do. He walked away from the shelter to the nearest tree, breaking off what sticks he could. "Things are fucking wet..." he cursed as he knelt down, picking up a fair sized log. "I'll be lucky if a fire even starts!"

After two minutes, he finished collecting as he made his way back to the shelter, sliding in through the narrow entrance.

The second he was inside, he felt an immense amount of relief. No longer was the chilled wind blowing on him, no snow batting in his eyes. It was cold, but not nearly as much as it was outside. Giving a smile of relief to himself, he walked further in as he cleared a spot, with Sakura still knocked out.

He bent down to confirm she was still alive. She was still cold and white from the weather, but a little bit of pink was making its way back to her skin. "When you do finally decide to wake up," he said, using his foot to clear a space as he dropped the wood. "You're pulling your _own _weight."

He felt the dampness of the wood anew. He personally had no idea if damp wood affected making a fire or not, but he guessed it would. Praying this wasn't a bad idea, he formed the seals for the Faiatama, just creating a small warm glow about his right hand just like Sakura had done for his back on the ship. He hovered it over the wood pieces, drying them off. Or he _hoped _he was drying them off and not just making a futile attempt. Knowing his luck, it was pointless.

After about a minute of this, he decided to make an attempt as he grabbed a small stick and formed a small but intense Goukakyuu at it. The end of the stick caught fire as it burned on the end. Slowly, he lowered the burning piece of wood down to another one. _Come on... come on... burn... burn... _

The second stick caught the flame as well, the fire now burning brighter. He began applying more and more until all the wood he had gathered was in a pile with a small fire burning profoundly as he sat down, leaning against the snow all enjoying the heat. "Fire... such a wonderful thing..." He had never been so happy to be a Katon user.

He allowed himself to enjoy the warmth for a few moments before he realized something was bugging him in the back of his mind. Like he had forgotten something. He began searching his memory, trying to remember anything that he might had learned about surviving in the snow climate. Wait, Kakashi had talked about it on the boat, hadn't he? Sasuke put his hands against his head, as if he could force the memory out. _Calm... _he told himself. _Relax... let your mind drift back to that day... _

_Kakashi then reached for his backpack. "Now that that's out of the way, time to talk about what I originally planned on." He pulled out several items, among them gloves, long cloaks, long-sleeved clothes, and some small footwear things. "We need to cover some basics on snow combat._

"_First of all is that all your normal clothing, sandals, shorts, short-sleeved shirts, isn't going to cut it. Keep as little skin exposed as you can." He started passing out the items to each person. "Second is don't you underestimate the cold. If you get lost, injured or anything like that, find some shelter ASAP. Don't try to force yourself to fight if you're too cold. You would only lose stamina and succumb to the cold that much faster. Understand?"_

Urg! That was it!? The advice was useless! The man was useless! Sasuke shook his head. The man's advice had seemed sufficient at the time, but now Sasuke wished he had asked for more details at the time. Okay, okay... what about Iruka? He had to have mentioned _something _about snow climates and survival during the Academy years, right?

This time it took longer to think back on before he finally remembered something. It had been during their second year; Iruka had set aside the usual studies to talk specifically about snow countries and how you operated there. That naturally had just earned a class-wide groan while Sasuke had rolled his eyes. They lived in a warm climate, in a country named _Fire. _What did they need to know about frozen backwater places?

Still, Iruka just lectured onward, explaining how snow lands were different from their own country. Iruka had gone through the different foods, dress styles, methods of travel and other mundane tidbits of information.

_Iruka walked around the classroom in the front, his soft gaze looking at each of the young ninja potentials in their seats. "Can anyone name any illnesses you could encounter from a colder environment that you wouldn't find here in the Fire Country?"_

_A silence followed as the students all just looked at each other, wondering if anyone did have any idea to the answer. Shikamaru just yawned in response, while Sakura just thumped her head a few times, clearly trying to think of something. Others just muttered amongst themselves, trying to think of something. Kiba loudly suggested 'sealpox' since it was too cold for chickens to live in._

_That earned a small rousing laugh from the students, prompting Naruto to throw in that people in snow countries didn't catch 'colds', they caught 'warms'._

"_Alright you jokers, that's enough," Iruka spoke up before anyone else could offer another 'illness'. A smirk appeared on the scarred man's face as he leaned on his desk, crossing his arms, like a hunter that just captured his prey in a snare. "Since none of you clearly know any, part of your homework will be to research diseases unique to winter wonderlands and how to treat them. To be turned in next Wednesday."_

_The mood of the class changed immediately to that of protesting. "Can't you at least tell us some so we know where to start?" Ino begged._

_The Chunin shook his head. "Nope! That defeats the purpose of you finding it out yourselves. You'll appreciate it more if you discover them yourselves rather than me telling you."_

_The class groaned again as Naruto leaned back in his seat, putting his feet on the desk and his hands behind his head, a smirk on his face to match Iruka's. "Don't believe him. He doesn't know himself. That's the _real _reason why he's having us look it up."_

_Sakura had immediately turned her attention to the class clown, waving a finger dangerously. "Naruto, how can you say that! Iruka-sensei wouldn't talk about something if he didn't know about it!" She turned back to Iruka, a triumphant look on her face. "Come on, Iruka-sensei! Just name a few and put the idiot in his place!"_

_All eyes focused on the man as all the students privately wondered who was going to win this latest round between Iruka and Naruto._

"_..."_

"_..."_

"_..."_

"_..."_

"_... you really don't know?" _

"_Ha!" Naruto cheered, pointing victoriously at the man. "GOTCHA!!!"_

"_Naruto!" Iruka spoke at last, his own face red with embarrassment at being caught himself as he pointed back at the boy. "_DOUBLE _homework for you!"_

"_WHAT!? That's not fair! That's LOW, Iruka-sensei! Abusing your power!" the blond boy complained._

Sasuke wanted to strangle something. THAT was all he remembered from that day!? Some stupid antics from Naruto!? The baka really did make his life miserable, even when he wasn't here!

He clenched his fists to calm himself. Fine. What of the day of the reports? He had to remember something from them, right?

Lightly grabbing his hair, he tried to relive that moment there. He had no clear memories of that one. He couldn't even remember what he researched for it. He thought and thought and thought, until finally he remembered Choji walking up to the front of the class presenting his own report on... hypo...hypo... hypothermia! Yes, that was it! Okay, okay... what did he say?

He couldn't remember what the plump boy said, but he had apparently gotten something wrong because Iruka gave a gentle smile, patted the boy on the shoulder as he began speaking to the class. He mentioned... mentioned... dammit!, what was it?... it... it... it was about... if they were soaked! Covered by an avalanche, fallen into a lake, that sort of thing. That the thing to do was to immediately strip out of all clothing and dry themselves off. That they had to warm themselves up quickly or they would succumb to hypothermia which resulted in... okay, he couldn't remember what that resulted but the important thing was that he had to get out of... his... clothes...

His thoughts trailed off as he went cold again, and not because of the weather, as he slowly craned his neck at the girl. Wait... when... they said... strip out of all... of the clothes... did that mean EVERYTHING!?!

As if to taunt him further, imagines of Sakura kissing him after Haku had "killed" them both, along with their mouths connecting when he was administrating CPR entered his mind. "No, no, _no," _Sasuke told himself. "What happened at the lake was _not _a kiss. That doesn't count!" Sure they had pressed their mouths together... and their lips at touched... several times...

He shook his head again. Looking at the girl, then at his own soaked clothes, the Uchiha sighed in resignation as he made his choice. "She's going to killme anyway... what's one more reason on top of that?"

Swearing again, Sasuke began his work.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) Another chapter done! A step back from the action for some information on Doto's followers, Taigi and Homare are on the move searching for Sasuke, a more extensive look at his castle, reminiscing about Sasuke's past and some not so nice... examination... on Naruto himself. I daresay this is now the new lowpoint of their lives.

For those that are curious about Sasuke's stuffed animals, check manga chapter 402 again and look at the bottom frame of the first page carefully ^_^

Like you all can't guess just who rescued Sasuke and Sakura from their ice prison. Careful readers will even be able to pick up the full story on why Sasuke didn't see anyone, hint, hint.

I got the name "Black Fang Castle" from the Naruto animanga of the first movie. Very handy that is. The name was featured in one of the ending bonus pages. Links for a picture of the castle from the movie and a basic diagram can be found in my profile page to my own deviantart page.

Sasuke performing CPR for Sakura doesn't count as a kiss so as to not break the "And though they had not kissed since, neither of them could truly forget it." line from Chuuten Chapter 1 as far as I'm concerned, but make your own judgment calls on the matter.

Youba - hag; old witch  
Akufu - wicked woman

No jutsu list this time.

Happy Friday the Thirteenth!

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	20. The Best Laid Plans

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 20 – The Best Laid Plans_

**Noon**

The Daimyo of the Snow Country glanced once more at the collection of heads that represented his warlords and generals from his seat as they continued to talk and bicker about their next course of action. They were all currently seated in his meeting room, which, like most of his castle, was rather plain and dull with the notable absence of fine decorations that one of his power and prestige should have, though he had managed to pull together some tastes for this room in the form of a highly prized crafted table he "acquired" from one of the former local lords.

As for the chairs they all sat in, they were ordinary wooden chairs that were often uncomfortable to the rear end of the body. The sole exception for this was Doto's seat itself, an exact identical copy of his throne. The chairs were a deliberate set up by Doto, a clear indication of just who was in power. They were _not _equals here; they served him, and the chairs each of them sat in were just one example of showing this.

Doto sat at the head of the table, naturally, while the other ten men sat five to a side with a large map of the shinobi countries on said table. Along the walls stood a number of armed Samurai from each of the Warlord's private guard. Tall and silent, the guards gave a lingering impression of gargoyles watching the meeting. Ones that were ready to leap out and hack a man's head off in an instant's notice should the meeting take a turn for the worst. And finally, behind Doto's chair stood eight of his own Loyalists. At the moment, several markers were situated on several points of the map as the warlords were in a heated debate as to where to strike first.

"Konohagakure is CLEARLY the best choice for our attack!" one of the warlords shouted, a bulging man who resembled a walrus as he used a stick to move several markers from Hidden Sand to Hidden Leaf. "They're weak now! Half of their manpower is gone. _Half!_ Their defenses are down, they are still rebuilding and are still shaken from the loss of their precious Sandaime Hokage! We couldn't ask for a better opportunity!"

Another man from the opposite side of the table used his own stick to move several markers from Konoha back to Sand. "You're underestimating the Leaf scum's strength, just like Orochimaru and his goons did! They have already replaced their damned Hokage and you think they aren't aware of their state? They're on guard now more than ever!" This one had an eyepatch over his left eye with long thick unruly hair. He spat off to the side. "We should hit Sand! They took big losses from their failed attack and were already the weakest of the great nations!" He slammed his stick down on the map, jostling the markers. "We strike here and we're guaranteed victory!" Two others gave a nod in agreement.

"You're _all _idiots!" The other nine Warlords looked over to see a skinny old man as he gestured at the Water Country. "Are you all such complete toddlers that you want to raid the lion's den far away while completely ignoring the tigers in our own backyard!? We go and hit any of the other four, Mist will attack us from the rear while we're occupied!"

A well-dressed man in a very rich and brightly colored kimono gave a nod. "Kirigakure is clearly the only choice we have. We know our enemy there. And they are still recovering from their Kekkai Genkai civil wars. They're disorganized, lack strong leadership and are overall weakened. We can take out the Capital long before Mist even learns of our attack and at Mist's doorstep with half their pants down."

That's when a Warlord with a face like a prune took a deep smoke from his pipe. "We were victorious against Mist in the last war because it was a war of attrition. We won by constantly beating back their attacks on us. We know them, just as they know us. Disorganized though they may be, if we attack them we'd be giving them a common enemy to unite against. It's best to leave them alone and strike another target and not take that chance."

"And where would you strike first, o wrinkled one?"

A solid smile appeared on the man's face as he blew out a large puff of smoke right on a portion of the map. Kumogakure.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"

"YOU WANT TO ATTACK THE _STRONGEST _OF THE GREAT NATIONS!?!"

"LUDICROUS! INSANITY! UTTER NONSENSE!!"

Doto thumped his fist on the arm of his chair and the Warlords shut up immediately. The smug smile on the man who had offered the suggestion remained strong on his face. After a nod of approval from the Daimyo to continue, he spoke. "It's _because _they're the strongest that we should target them first. No matter where else we strike, we will be weaker as a result. We _must _hit them while we're at our absolute best! If we ignore them now, they'll become all the more difficult to subdue. They'll continue to grow strong while we grow weak!" He hammered his fist on the table at the end of this, the noise echoing through the entire room.

As the group quietly pondered the points brought up, Doto found himself doing the same. What the man said about Cloud was true, though it could be argued that they were the strongest even before Orochimaru's thwarted attack on the Hidden Leaf. Once the Third Shinobi War had ended, the Great Villages had turned their attention to disarmament for the new age of peace, drastically cutting down on shinobi numbers, limiting research on new jutsu, creating heavier restrictions on the Academies and the process to become shinobi and so forth.

Except for Kumogakure.

Instead of disarming like the other four were doing, they took the opposite direction and were _re-_arming themselves, pulling out all the stops in order to do so such as with the infamous Hyuuga Incident all those years ago, where Cloud attempted to capture the heiress of the clan. No one was entirely sure why Cloud was continuing to build its strength. Minor villages like Hotsprings that had been targeted by Kumo during the war feared that Cloud was preparing to start a new war for whatever reason. A few believed that Cloud was paranoid due to their detachment during the war, fearing retaliation from all sides, and thus were building up strength to the point where they could challenge the rest of the shinobi world if need be.

The current Raikage could only be described as a supervolcano with a hair trigger, ready to erupt with enormous quantities over the tiniest of matters. With an individual like that, minor villages' fears about Cloud starting up a new war had some basis. It wouldn't take much to tick off the Raikage and have him utterly demolish things in retaliation. More than once Doto wondered how the hell someone like him ended up in such an important leadership position. He was far too unstable and hotheaded to be trusted to handle his job. He personally believed that the Raikage was just a figurehead chosen by Cloud. A mere sword to showoff its strength while the _real _power resided in the Village Council or perhaps even an aide or two.

Regardless of the man's characteristics, there was no denying he was _very much _a threat on the battlefield. One that Snow may not be ready to handle. Yet.

To complicate things further, it was a long standing belief that the Five Great Villages were approximately equal in strength. Some might have better economies or stronger militaries, but it all balanced out to keep them of relatively similar strength with approximately one thousand standing shinobi forces per village. At least that was what they were supposed to believe. Reports suggested that with Cloud's rearmament policies, they now had _three times _that strength. In contrast, a minor village would be lucky to be able to host three hundred shinobi.

Not that that applied to Snow. Doto had been planning his move ever since he assumed power ten years ago, discreetly sending more and more children to the Academy to be trained as shinobi, pushing their numbers close to eight hundred, implementing new policies to produce better results as well as systemically building up the Daimyo's forces from the population as a whole. The vast majority of his new recruits were on 'on call' status and not officially deployed, giving the appearance that Snow's military was on par with the rest of the minor villages.

An oversight that would cost the great villages _dearly _when he made his move. With Sousetsu's fortune financing everything.

"You forget," another warlord spoke up, who had a large weasel-like mark on the back of his coat, "that while Cloud has an extremely powerful Kage and high numbers to contend with, the _real _threat are those two freaks of nature that guard its borders."

There was quiet muttering as the warlords and guards uttered two names with clear contempt in their voices.

Nii Yugito.

Kirabi.

Cloud's two Jinchuuriki hosts. Of all of them out there, it was stated these two were the only ones who had full control over their respective demons, with the exception of the previous Mizukage. Topped with the Raikage, the three were a very formidable force and it was them who made many of the ninja villages consider Cloud truly invincible. Some weren't even sure the Sannin from Konoha could match them.

Doto hadn't yet bothered to tell them that he had apprehended Konoha's secret weapon as he was still awaiting the results from Akufu. If the boy was a Jinchuuriki or even some shinobi with a previously unknown bloodline, chances were they wouldn't be able to exploit any of it in time for a preemptive strike on Kumogakure.

"With the three of them together, we have no hope for victory even with the element of surprise on our hands. Before we attack Cloud, we must get rid of at least _one _of those damned freaks. As such, we need to hit Iwagakure first!" the same warlord spoke as he slapped his hand down on the Earth Country on the map.

"You want to hit Hidden Rock first!?" another man asked, clearly shocked. "They're our _allies_!"

"So what? It's not like we care about that."

"While that is true, it means one less of the Great Villages to worry about. When we start our campaign, we'll only have to worry about _four _of them since Rock thinks we're all friends. They might even try to join us! We attack Rock, we go from a friendly ally to another cold hard enemy. There's no need to unite all our enemies at once! We save Rock for later and we'll have less hassle to worry about!"

The other man snorted in disgust. "The Great Villages have never all allied together against a common foe before and to suggest they will now against us is delusional. The fact that Rock is our ally means the perfect opportunity to get them completely off guard. Rumors say that they are having to rely on some mercenary force to deal with their cutbacks! It would also allow us to completely bypass the terrain which has always served as their first line of defense unopposed! Once inside, we'd be able to crush both the capital and Iwagakure easily!"

Several men were already shaking their heads. "You think they'll just let us move troops inside their borders so easily!?" the walrus-like warlord spoke again. "Hidden Rock isn't stupid. The second we try something like that, their guards will go up and we'll lose your so-called opportunity. Konoha is the one we must hit before it's too late!"

"Perhaps I can offer my own opinion on the matter."

All heads immediately jerked to the end of the table, where they saw a figure standing there with a big fat smile on his face. How did he get in here!? _When _did he get in here!?

"You!" Doto shouted in recognition as several men and shinobi dashed towards the intruder. "I killed you at –"

He didn't get a chance to finish as fierce winds erupted all around the intruder, flinging both samurai and shinobi against the walls hard. Before the remaining guards could act, they all froze at seeing the figure changing from the one they knew into someone else entirely. Pale white skin and long flowing black hair matching a very familiar face that everyone recognized.

"Orochimaru..." many uttered quietly as they all tried to back away. Only Doto held his ground, though just barely. It was only through a drive to hold his image to his subordinates that he didn't waver.

The former Leaf nin gave a quiet chuckle as he motioned them all to settle down. "Peace be with you. I do not come to kill you. Merely to present your nation with the golden opportunity you are seeking."

"... and how do you know of what we seek?" Doto asked him, not one person in the room relaxing in the slightest.

"Oh, I have been listening to your squabbles for some time, as amusing as they were," the Sannin member said with confidence and stride in his voice. "I came here for my own purposes and I'm in a position to help you achieve what you want with two pieces of good fortune for you."

Intrigued, but not throwing away his common sense, Doto gave a nod. "And what did you come for?"

"I came to retrieve a little child that has eluded my grasp for the time being. I felt it was time to deal with the matter personally while he was away from Konoha's protective graces. Uchiha Sasuke."

Doto gave a smirk in hearing that. "It seems even the almighty Orochimaru is not all-knowing. Seek all you want, all you'll get is a corpse."

"Because you froze him beneath an icy lake and left him for dead?"

The man's smirk disappeared as quickly as it came. He knew?!

Orochimaru shook a finger disapprovingly, much like a parent lecturing a misbehaving child. "Poor fools... _never _believe a shinobi is dead until you have their headless corpse at your feet. A lesson you should all well know."

"He can't possibly escape that lake!" Doto challenged, iron slowly returning to his voice while the others looked at him like he was mad. "He was tired and exhausted to begin with! There's no way he could had survived!"

"Make no mistake; I know these three Leaf genin far better than you will ever know. The Uchiha _will _survive your little deathtrap and return. The girl as well. They will come. For your head and for their comrade. Leaf ninja are predictable like that. And when they come, you will defeat them."

One of the Warlords recovered his nerve well enough to speak. "You want us to do your dirty work so you can claim the Uchiha for yourself?"

"Yes."

The man looked ready to erupt in protest but a combination of Orochimaru's glare and Doto's hand signaling him to stop prevented him from doing so. "And why should we do your bidding?"

"Because I can make your dreams of conquest a reality."

Doto raised an eyebrow.

Orochimaru began walking around the table clockwise as though he didn't have a care in the world as his eyes studied the map, naming them as he went. "Iwagakure. Kumogakure. Kirigakure. Konohagakure. Sunagakure." He returned back to his previous position, his eyes settling on Doto once more. "So many targets, so many variables to consider. But which to strike first?

"There is no question that your true target will be Konohagakure. They are the ones who interfered with your affairs ten years ago when you came to power. They are the ones attempting to overthrow you through your niece now. They were the leading power on their side and part of the reason Kirigakure was able to hammer you during the war. Even weakened as they are, they are a very formidable force. Three of their genin defeated fifty of your so-called Chunin this day. You have very few, if any, that can stand up to their elite shinobi. And no one that can stand up to the likes of my former teammates Tsunade and Jiraiya. You can go in with your numbers, technology and special assets and I would still bet on Konoha winning the day. And with your forces decimated from such a foolish attack, Mist will no doubt take advantage of your weakened state. Go forward with this plan and Snow will be erased from the map before the month is out."

No one from Snow offered a protest to Orochimaru's statement.

"So what you need to do," Orochimaru said, slamming his fist on the map, "is hit Kirigakure."

"Ha!" the old Warlord who had suggested the idea cried out in glee. The leader of Otogakure's disapproving glare stopped the skinny man from gloating further.

"Make no mistake. You are not attacking Mist. It is a mere surgical strike. The Water Country as a whole is rife with chaos and confusion as they are trying to rebuild from their Bloodline purges. What you want to do is add to that chaos so that Mist is unable to take advantage of you when you begin your campaign. Strike the Capital city, assassinate a few key officials and shinobi. Raze a few villages all across their country. Make them think that they are being attacked simultaneously from all sides. In and out so Mist does not learn who was responsible. They will scurry about like headless chickens, suspecting everyone including their fellows for the attacks while they try to recover and organize. They will be unable to take advantage of your absence when you assault Konohagakure."

Doto rubbed his chin as he considered it. The deal he had made with the current Mizukage was long over, so he had no qualms about striking Mist. And what the snake bastard was saying did make sense...

Orochimaru merely continued, casually moving all of Snow's markers to Konoha. "Then you strike Konoha. Undoubtedly, they will be cautious due to Mist's problems, but the ambiguity of it will keep them from suspecting you specifically. You will strike by systematically raiding Konoha's outskirts, testing their defenses and keeping them guessing when and where you will eventually strike the village itself. This will give your shinobi much needed battle experience for when you face them head on.

"Should you manage to take Konoha, subduing Kiri should be your next priority. Your shinobi will be battle-hardened and the discord apparent. And even if they have recovered and reorganized, your defeat of Konoha will have demoralized them. They will fall easily and your flank will no longer be in danger of being attacked by them.

"With two of the Great Villages defeated, the other minor villages will begin to join you. However, you should not strike again so quickly. Fortify your positions in the Fire and Water Countries and allow your men to rest. You also must familiarize your forces with your new territories. Even with their fall, they will continue to resist you. So you will solidify your grips on them so that when you strike your next target, they don't overthrow you. Once you have sufficient control of them, you will strike Sand with allies in hand. And this time, Rock will not come to their aid since Sand abandoned them for Leaf during the last war. They will be alone. And they will fall.

"Rock will be the next target of choice. You will need a very good plan of attack for them which you can work out when the time comes. What matters is that the key to taking Iwagakure and the Earth Country is bypassing the terrain. That's the hard part. Once you get past, striking the capital and the village itself will be child's play. With four of the five Great Villages under your control, more of the minors will back you up and you will at long last have the forces you need to assault Kumogakure directly. Victory will be yours."

The warlords were all looking at each other like children in a sweet shop. Even the guards were beginning to look excited at hearing the prospect of their ambitions really coming true. Doto, however, did not partake in the excitement. "You speak constantly of our victory. Do you serious expect us to believe you're just going to let us win without trying to gain control yourself?"

Those words killed the mood right there as they all returned to their tense state of anxiety.

"What I seek," Orochimaru said after a moment, "is not conquest. Seeing the windmill in motion is more than enough for me. And Konoha's destruction will be complete. That's what matters to me. Doing it myself is irrelevant as long as they are crushed into the dust."

"You speak big, but your lies and intentions still seep through your words. You already stated that you didn't believe we could defeat Konoha even weakened as they are, yet you tell us to challenge them first. Clearly you have a hidden motive."

"So quick to judge. It will prove your undoing. On your own, yes, Konoha would prevail over you... had I not offered you the means to victory that I promised earlier," Orochimaru replied.

Doto's eyebrow raised once more, recalling that Orochimaru had offered two pieces of good fortune to them. "You intend to attack Konoha with us?"

"No. My own forces are too spent to help you in your campaign. Nor would I support you in an attack if they weren't. You boasted that you could win against the five on your own terms. Consider your assault on Konoha a chance to show the merit of your words and dedication." With that, Orochimaru held up a single finger. "What I will do is give you exactly what you need in order to succeed. Critical intelligence. ANBU patrol routes. Positions of the Daimyo's forces. Access to the Fire Capital. Holdings and fallback points located in the Fire Country. A map of the Leaf village layout. An analysis of their defenses and where you can exploit them. Defensive positions the Leaf-nin will take in the village. Shelters where the civilians will hide in. Imagine you going after them and the Leaf scum abandoning all sense of reason in order to protect them."

The men gathered in the room held their breaths tightly at what the snake said. Such information would be more valuable than Sousetsu's fortune by far! They really would be able to crush the Leaf village, a feat that no one had been able to do! Not Orochimaru, not the other major villages of Iwagakure and Kumogakure, not even the Kyuubi itself! But Snow would! Doto himself felt the same excitement coursing through his veins at the possibilities with such critical intelligence, but he didn't let it override his common sense.

There was no guarantee that even with this information that they would win. If Orochimaru had all he promised, it obviously didn't do him any good since he still lost with the Sand Village backing him. On the other hand, the fact that he lost could account to the validity of what he was offering. After fighting himself, he had seen firsthand how the Leaf would react and fight. And Snow would have more means of fighting than Orochimaru had... and with the village's staggering losses on top of that...

They really could win!

"Before you started organizing your victory celebrations, remember that I haven't given you any information yet," Orochimaru spoke up, once more darkening the mood. "I require something on your part first."

"... for us to defeat these genin for you to snatch up," Doto repeated.

"Yes. Which brings me to my second piece of good fortune for you. Everything you'll need to know about your three foes, including the _Jinchuuriki _you now hold in your prison."

At the word, the warlords and guards all looked at Doto with a mixture of surprise, shock, and awe while the man himself allowed a smile on his face. "Tell me more," he said.

After uttering his instructions to begin preparations for Orochimaru's battle plan, he gestured for the former Leaf-nin to follow him out of the war room. He sent an aide to gather the San Eihei to him at once. He wasn't stupid enough to meet with Orochimaru alone. In the privacy of his currently vacant throne room, Orochimaru told Doto, Nadare, Fubuki and Mizore each of Team 7's secrets, past, jutsus and characteristics.

At the end of it, the man could hardly contain himself at the information. While issuing quick orders for the three to return to the lake and confirm Orochimaru's statements, he all but rushed out of his throne room to confirm with Akufu if what the snake was saying was true. It was exactly what he had hoped for and more! With all this new information, he'd be able to harness the boy's powers for himself... and level Konoha and the Great Villages!

One month. That was all he would need. Time to mobilize Snow's forces and use Sousetsu's fortune to boost his military forces and creation of more war blimps, kunai launchers and so much more!

In one month, the Hidden Leaf Village would be erased from the map. Permanently.

The other man in the throne room gave his own sinister smirk as he watched the Snow Leader rush out. Things were working out _exactly _as he hoped they would.

_The board is set. The pieces are moving. Your move, Team 7. Make it count, for it's your last, _Bakeru thought to himself as he mimicked his master's laugh echoing all across the throne room.

* * *

**2:00 pm**

**Koyuki's Cell**

Koyuki heard Naruto's screams for hours, many with such intensity she didn't think possible. She tried to block them out as best she could by sitting on the chair. That hadn't worked, so she stood in the corner and sung quietly to herself, hoping that would distract her. It didn't work. In a desperate attempt, she took to the bed and covered her ears with the blankets and pillows.

Naruto's screams still pierced her skull as though the items were made of thin air.

In the end, she just pulled up her chair and sat at the bars to look down the hallway where the screams were coming from, waiting for them to stop.

"_So, what's it like being the Sky Princess?" Naruto asked the actress as he walked up to her, slightly startling her. _

A curse. That's what it was. A mockery of what she was trying to run from and a constant reminder of what she had lost.

_His headband took care of all that. He walked over to Yukie and stated "Are you tired of running, bitch?"_

No, she wasn't tired of running. Running kept you alive and left your memories behind. What she was tired of was Naruto. Why wouldn't he leave her alone?!

_The first one was quite handy and him being in this movie would give him a first-hand account of any others. "I'll… think about it…" Naruto said slowly._

"_A talentless idiot shouldn't even think, much less act."_

He annoyed her. He followed her. Even got himself involved in _her _movie utilizing _her _move. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? The fact that he was her bodyguard was irrelevant on several points. Foremost being that she didn't want a bodyguard. He was also trailing her before he was given the mission. She should be happy that the boy was getting his just desserts for not listening to her and finally out of her hair, so why was it she only felt more and more miserable as the boy's screams went on?

_Naruto's response was firm. "I had no one. Nothing. I was alone. No one cared about me." He took a step towards her, arms moving around to gesture what he was saying. "No friends. No family. Not even a pet. Nothing. Nothing. Can you comprehend that? Can you even comprehend the idea of being absolutely alone your entire life with no one supporting you? I have! You haven't! You have no idea how deep your words hurt when you said 'no one would miss you.' So spare me your little monologue and just SHUT UP!"_

She got it, she got it. He'd had more than his fair share of pain and loneliness in his life. Life had dealt him a poor hand just as much as it did for her. And now their hands had just become worse. Was that the reason why she couldn't get him out of her mind and stop pitying his situation right now? Even if it was, she didn't care. Just get out of her head!

"_And what do you think you'll accomplish by going off alone?" Naruto demanded. He spoke in a softer tone, but Koyuki could still feel the weight in his voice. "Will you take another nap in the Snow? Or what if one of Doto's men found you? What would you do then, huh!?"_

"_Who cares!?" she shrieked out, partly surprising Naruto. Not because she was being loud about it, but because she sounded like she was about to cry. "I never wanted to come back here!"_

"_You had to come back! You can't keep running from your past!"_

"_Why not!? The past can't be changed!!"_

"_Then why the hell are you still living in it!?"_

She still lived in the past because she couldn't get away from it. As long as Doto-ojiki lived, the past would always be hounding her, always be hunting her. It was also the place she had been happy with her father's loving embrace and smile. Do something about it, Naruto had said. Did he finally see now, amidst whatever torture he was undergoing right now, that there wasn't anything that they could do? That coming here brought nothing but pain and death?

"_THIS AIN'T OVER!! THERE'S NO WAY I'M DYING, OR EVER GIVING UP! EVEN IF YOU'RE READY TO CALL IT __QUITS, I'M NOT EVER GIVING. __**UP**__!!! C'MON!C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON,C'MON!!!"_

That declaration shot through Koyuki's mind like a knife. Giving her head a shake, she tried to shove the meaning of those words out of her head. What good did not giving up accomplish? Only more pain. Koyuki was sure not giving up was working against Naruto right now in the midst of that room...

That's when Koyuki's head jerked downward at the hallway when she realized she hadn't heard a scream in awhile now. What did that mean? Was Naruto actually...

Looking downward at the hallway she at first saw nothing, then slowly figures began appearing. Two Yuki-nin were walking, dragging the blond boy along the ground like he was a rag doll. He looked so lifeless right now, Koyuki wasn't sure he was still alive. His clothes were a ragged mess, his hair out of place and his skin a deathly shade of white.

The two ninja turned to the cell across from hers and opened it as they dragged Naruto inside. They shackled his wrists together as they pulled upward, suspending the boy several feet above the ground. Before they left, Koyuki saw one of them slap a paper seal with the kanji "Contain" on it over the lock.

The actress looked over at the young ninja as the two Yuki-nin left. "So are you alive or dead?"

There was no response at first. Then the boy's right eye opened up with his left remaining firmly shut. "...no point in locking up a corpse, is there?" He sounded so... lifeless right now.

Koyuki gave a shrug. "Some like to display their defeated enemies. Flaunt their victory around for the world to see."

"Ah... but that would be more effective if you were placed outside for all to see. Can't show off if you lock your prize away underground."

"True."

"But putting the vanquished underground gives you a more reliable means of controlling _who _sees them and when."

Both of them turned their heads to see who had spoken that last line. None other than Doto himself, flanked by several Snow shinobi. "It shows your superiority and keeps the unworthy from seeing your prizes."

Neither commented on Doto's remarks as the man just strolled in front of Naruto's cell, grinning like a mad hyena. "All the questions... all the mysteries... the monstrous strength... the inhuman stamina... that demonic aura... the feral look in your face... even those marks on your face." Doto knelt down slightly so that he was at eye level with Naruto, now sprouting a deranged egotistical look. "The trump card of the Hidden Leaf, eh, _Kyuubi_?"

Koyuki felt her heart miss a few beats as her eyes automatically settled on the boy again. Kyuubi?

Naruto made no response to the accusation, while Doto just ranted on and on. Sealed into the boy at birth by the Yondaime Hokage in the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack. How he was supposed to be regarded as the village hero but was resented and hated instead.

As Koyuki listened on, she tried to make sense of this all. Naruto hosted the Kyuubi inside him? Did that mean he _was _the Kyuubi in human form? If he was, he was nothing like a demon she thought the fox would be. And if that wasn't the case, then how did the relationship work between him and the demon? Were they trying to tell her that a huge hundred meter tall fox was somehow stored in the body of a one hundred forty seven centimeter boy? The concept just seemed completely ludicrous!

Yet... what her uncle was saying made sense. It _did _explain much about Naruto's abilities. From his canine-like tracking, to his enormous strength, even that cunning of his. While her mind accepted it, some part of her didn't for some reason she wasn't sure of. Was the Kyuubi the source of his unwavering determination and the ever-annoying resolve to never give up? Just where was the line of Kyuubi and Naruto drawn? At what point were they the same and when they were different?

"Tell me what you think of this little scenario, little fox," Doto went on, caught up in his own fantasies as he held up his hands like he was presenting a picture. "Konohagakure. Still rebuilding from the previous invasion. The holes made in its walls only half-repaired. Its buildings riddled with workers and carpenters to hide the scars from the fighting. Its people just starting to feel calm and safe once again. Their guard is low, their faces just waking up at dawn and at the horizon... is a nightmare from the past. The dreaded Nine-Tailed Biju once again at Konoha's gates, with an army of Snow Ninja at its heels!"

"Keep your delusions to yourself," the boy spat back. "Even if you had the guts to take on Konoha with those pathetic ninja you call shinobi, there's no way in hell you'd get the Kyuubi's cooperation or mine."

Being called 'pathetic' by a caged prisoner ticked off the escorting ninja. One of them looked ready to pop a vein in his forehead. Doto, on the other had, just threw his head back and gave that laugh of his. "Cooperation? Is that what you think I'm doing? Trying to sway you to my side and do my bidding?" He gave another round of laughter before quickly cutting off, a look of disgust on his face. "Don't flatter yourself, _brat._ I would sooner grovel in a trash heap looking for rats to aid my army than try and get you on my side. You have insulted my person and I assure you before I'm through with you, you will be crying and begging for my forgiveness. To the point where you hyperventilate out of sheer desperation to spare you."

"So what then? You extract the Kyuubi for your own purposes? Is that what you're trying to taunt me with?"

"Rest assured, now that I know exactly what you are, harnessing that power for myself will be a simple task. Your extraction – and I promise you it will _hurt –_ will come in due time. No. I'm here to tell you a simple message. Umino Iruka."

Against his will, Naruto gave a flinch as his eye widened ever so slightly.

"Yes, I thought that would catch your attention. I know the rest of your precious people, brat. Umino Iruka. Sarutobi Konohamaru. Hyuuga Hinata. Your classmates from the Academy. When we attack, I'm going to personally hunt each one of them down. They will weep and cry until they curse your name out with damnation at ever knowing you. I'll be sure to pay the Sandaime a visit as well. We don't want him to be _too _comfortable with his eternal rest, now do we? Just... like... your... _team."_

Naruto gave a snarl as he kicked his legs backwards, planting his feet against the wall then shoving himself forward at the man. Doto didn't so much as flinch as Naruto hit the bars, only to have energy zap the Leaf genin. The boy gave a loud yell at the unexpectedly painful shock as he began swinging back and forth slowly. Doto just laughed in the boy's face as he snapped his fingers, calling his men to his attention. He then gave a nod at Koyuki's cell.

The princess blew out of her nose as they unlocked her door and beckoned her to come out. It was time already, it seemed. As she was led down the hall, she could barely see Naruto open his eye. "Where... are... you taking... her...?"

No one answered as they walked to the end of the passageway and began climbing the stairs, Naruto's faint demands of 'ANSWER ME' unanswered like a man buried alive in a tomb.

* * *

**One hour earlier, 1:00 pm**

**Sakura**

The pink-haired kunoichi's eyes fluttered open slowly, though focus was another matter entirely. All she could see was a hazy white all around, like trying to look through a fogged-up window. Part of the reason her vision was so bad was because her mind was almost entirely focused on the splitting headache she was feeling. It was as though someone had driven a large nail into her skull.

Silent as a shadow, she sat up and began rubbing her forehead in an attempt to ease the pain as she tried to take in her surroundings. She was in someplace quite warm, though the floor was a bit damp. Or was it the ground? She couldn't tell. It was only now as she had been rubbing her head did she realize it had been bandaged.

While her right hand nursed her pounding head, she used her left hand to rub her eyes hoping that would clear up her vision some. She blinked a few times and the details slowly began forming as her vision returned to its normal state. She was in some sort of cave... or something like a cave, maybe. Upon further examination, she realized it wasn't a cave, but a large hole dug into the snow itself.

Looking out of the corner of her right eye, she saw several things. The first was a small fire crackling away that filled the small hole with warmth, which she was very grateful for. The second was the sight of Sasuke's back, his cloak wrapped around him, though there were several tears and rips in it. So that's where the bandages came from. She was about to speak when a third thing caught her attention, freezing her voice in the throat.

A wire had been strung from one end of the shelter to the other over the fire, and on the wire wasboth hers and Sasuke's clothes (their sandals at the foot of the fire), including their... no... that couldn't be... giving her head a slight shake, she took another look at those... _items_... and saw that it was no illusion or trick of her mind.

Hanging up were both of their undergarments. It took exactly 3.7 seconds for Haruno Sakura's mind to fully comprehend this before her gazed snapped downward at herself.

**_"AAAHHH!!!!!!!"_**

Sasuke, who had been in the middle of dozing, immediately snapped wide awake as he jumped to his feet his own cloak falling to the ground. "WHAT!?! THE ENEMY!?! HOW MANY!?! THE SHAPESHIFTER!?! THOSE SNOW NINJA!?! ITACHI!?!"

The only answer the Uchiha got was a solid uppercut to his jaw, followed by several disgusted words.

Sasuke hit the roof of his homemade shelter hard, shaking enough of the 'ceiling' that several clumps of snow fell down right on Sakura, Sasuke and their now newly wet clothes before Sasuke came back crashing down on the ground, allowing Sakura getting a full look of... him, prompting her face to go the same color as her hair.

"**_AAAHHH!!!!!!!"_**

Fast-forwarding fifteen minutes past the next round of screams, shouts, explanations, denials and general pandemonium, things settled down. Their clothes were restrung over the fire to dry off again as the two Leaf shinobi sat back to back, wrapped in their cloaks once more as they stared into the wall.

"You know, I never expected you to have such a violent streak to you," Sasuke uttered as he rubbed his cheeks, and for once, it wasn't due to the damn urge but to the new slap marks he had.

"Sorry," Sakura replied. Her head bandage had to be reapplied and the room was currently spinning. "I'm not used to waking up... well... like that."

"Sorry. It was rather necessary. I tried to wake you, but you were out like a light. I thought you were dead several times."

"Sorry. I understand. I didn't mean to go off on you like that... or for all my clothes to be off."

"Sorry. If you're going to do the job, do it right. And it's not just _your_ clothes off."

"Sorry. I realize that. Still... you got a good look, didn't you?"

"Sorry. It was rather unavoidable, and you just got one yourself."

Sakura didn't bother responding to that as she tugged on cloak tighter. "Think we could _not _mention this to anyone else?"

"Most definitely."

That's when Sakura's stomach growled. She blushed slightly in reaction before Sasuke handed her several items. "Here. Konoha's _finest _nutrient bars. Waterlogged version."

Nutrient bars. Emergency food rations for shinobi on missions. Each shinobi carried a week's worth of them for this type of situation. They held the maximum amount of nutrients, proteins, vitamins and everything else the body needed for the day. And they tasted like earwax rolled in sand, which was why shinobi preferred to hunt or even stop at stands to eat. She had heard rumors that Shino was fond of them. How that was was beyond her, but then again, she didn't understand the Aburame heir that much as it was.

A second rumbling of her stomach put the fight out of her as she grabbed the bars, muttering a quick 'arigato' as she opened one and took a bite, resisting the urge to spit it back out. To her surprise, they were also soggy. _That explains what he meant by 'waterlogged version'. _

"What happened... since I've been out?" she asked, taking another bite.

The boy responded by telling her that after their five combination strike on the train, Mizore's metal arm had launched out, striking her on the head and knocking her into the lake out cold. He had dived in and gotten her out and by the time they were out of the lake, everyone else had left due to a storm coming. Where Naruto was, he didn't know.

"I guess I owe you my life," Sakura stated once he was done. "Thanks."

Though she said it, she wasn't sure she believed him. Oh, not about her falling into the lake and him getting her out. That she could easily see and would explain her headache. He wasn't the type to invent such a story just to look at her. What she didn't believe was the circumstances. She was almost positive he had left something out. She couldn't see the Snow Shinobi just leaving when they knew they were in the lake. Even with a storm coming, they would have left someone to keep an eye and kill them when they surfaced.

So what could he had left out? What else could had happened that he would want to hide?

"It was nothing," Sasuke replied, dragging her out of her theories. "That's what com... _friends... _do, isn't it?"

"... yes... I suppose so..." she agreed as she returned to eating.

They didn't speak again as Sasuke started eating himself. It had been quite a taxing time between losing Kakashi, fighting shapeshifters, their own arguments, fighting snow ninja after snow ninja after _snow ninja_. She felt she could devour their entire supply of emergency rations right there, but she made sure to leave some for later. There was no telling when they would need them again.

What was their next move? They were tired and weak. Wait for reinforcements? They had no way of knowing Naruto's frog messenger's progress and how quickly help could come, let alone how to rendezvous with them when they finally came. And where was Naruto? Was he searching for them, or carrying on the mission himself? Or was he captured? Dead? Where were _they_ for that matter? Doto's castle had been over sixty kilometers from their previous position, but where was that? Had they traveled north? South? East? West? And how far? Were they closer or farther from the castle?

And where was the movie crew? What happened to them? They weren't fighters, so the Snow ninja should have easily rounded them up. Had they escaped? Not even Makino would be that stupid to remain in such hostile territory to film some movie.

This must be what the sense of command was like. How to see the possibilities in a situation where you had no idea what to do. To be able to pick the best course of decision and act on it. To be able to get out of the dire situation for the safety and well-being of yourself and those you commanded, whether it was a simple team or a full battalion.

For the next forty minutes, she constantly turned these questions over and over in her mind, trying to see the possibilities and what they should do. That's when Sasuke got up and spoke, saying they should get dressed and leave. Whatever their next move was, they first had to learn where they were.

Making sure to keep their eyes where they should be, the two dressed quickly in silence. Sakura wished they still had their packs with them with all their spare clothes and accessories, but there was no point in wishing for what they didn't have. She might as well be wishing for a four course meal.

They squeezed out of the 'entrance' of Sasuke's man-made shelter into the winter-infested enemy country. The storm had passed some time ago, so the skies were clearing up, with only patches of dark clouds here and there that let the sunshine bathe the frozen earth below. Snow-covered trees stood all around them as far as the eye could see. A few birds were out singing, but other than that, there was no sign of animal life that they could see. Which way should they go first?

"I headed north when I started walking," Sasuke spoke up, his right hand casually touching a katana in his weapon's pouch. When did he get that? "With the storm, I don't know if I managed to keep going north or if I wandered another direction." He looked upward to get the position of the sun, then looked southward. "Let's head south. Best direction to try, and if we're lucky, we should get back to the railroad and get our bearings."

Sakura just gave a nod as they both started walking south side by side. As they did, she made a point to keep her eyes scanning their surroundings. For Yuki-nin or a village. They couldn't afford another fight with the enemy ninja, so their best bet was to blend in and regain their strength.

"I want to talk to you about our... little issue," Sasuke's voice said unexpectedly.

The words caught Sakura off guard, making her just blurt out 'Huh?'

Though she didn't catch it, Sasuke's gaze had darkened slightly at her casual reply, as though she didn't take it seriously. "Your reaction to my little... departure and what you had said to me," he answered in a slow and careful voice.

Oh, that? Truthfully, she had forgotten all about it. Dozens of snow ninja trying to kill you will do that. Sakura gave a shrug. "I said I needed time," she replied without looking at him as she continued to search for signs of life. "Anyway, it's not important right now."

"... not... _important_?_"_

She gave a nod. "That's right. There's no need to bother ourselves with something as minor as that."

"_**THAT'S IT!!!**_"

Sakura felt her heart leap into her throat at the unexpected yell of fury as she felt strong hands grab her shoulders, turning around to look right into Sasuke's face, red from anger with a cold dark void in those black eyes of his that Sakura couldn't help but stare into with both a mixture of awe and fear.

"I'VE HAD IT!!!" Sasuke roared into her face, making her flinch badly. "_I'M SICK OF THIS!! I'VE TRIED AND I'VE TRIED AND YOU KEEP FIGHTING ME WITH IT! YOU WON'T LOOK AT ME, YOU WON'T EVEN USE MY NAME!!_

Wait, what!? Look at you... no, no, no! That wasn't the reason! She had been concentrating on their surroundings! It wasn't that -

"_I'VE TRIED GIVING YOU SPACE AND YOU JUST GO ON LIKE NOTHING'S HAPPENED!! I TRY TALKING TO YOU DIRECTLY ABOUT IT AND YOU KEEP BRUSHING ME OFF!! YOU SAY WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO WORRY ABOUT IT WHEN WE HAVE NOTHING __**BUT**__ TIME THANKS TO THE FACT WE'RE FUCKING LOST IN AN ENEMY COUNTRY!!!"_

Because her voice was lost in her throat from his reactions! And she hadn't been _that _uncooperative with his efforts... had she!?

"_WE'RE SETTLING THIS RIGHT NOW... AND I DON'T CARE HOW!!! IF THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO, IF THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND RESOLVE THIS, THEN __**SO BE IT!!!"**_

And that's when Sasuke's fist slammed into her face. She gave a cry of shock and pain as she fell on her butt, blood trickling out of her mouth. She looked up to see his leg raised and coming down to strike her but she rolled out of the way narrowly missing his heel drop.

She rolled and jumped back to her feet as she wiped the blood from her mouth, her own anger rising. "And so you think you can _make me _talk!?! Oh, why not!? What else would you know about solving your problems than just beating the shit out of it!?!"

"_I've tried talking to you and you keep pushing it away!!" _Sasuke retorted, throwing another punch at her but this time she caught it in her hand. However, that left her open for a sharp left cross to her right cheek.

So in response, she slammed her free hand down on his arm, making him gave a sharp cry of pain. "I asked you for time!!" Solid right jab between Sasuke's eyes.

"_I gave you time_!" Left kick to Sakura's gut.

"It's up to ME to decide how much time I need, not you!" Another punch to Sasuke's face, but he grabbed it and twisted her arm around behind her back. New pain shot through her arm as Sasuke twisted it more.

"_It _does_ concern me when you won't even tell me what you want in the first place_!!" The girl gave another cry at a new jolt of pain shooting through her arm when she stomped down hard on Sasuke's foot, then slammed the back of her head against his face. The two blows forced Sasuke to let go of her arm, allowing Sakura to place her other hand on her face and drive an extra powerful elbow right into Sasuke's abdomen.

The Uchiha boy coughed up blood right in Sakura's face, who didn't pay it any mind at all as she tackled him, the result of the two rolling around the ground as they both struggled to get the upper hand. They continued rolling for about three meters before a pair of punches forced the two off each other and back on to their feet. Hoping to get her before she recovered, Sasuke came at her with another lunge faster than before. This time, Sakura deliberately took the hit knowing she couldn't hope to match him through speed. She dropped to the ground into a complete splits stance as she attempted to strike both of Sasuke's knees, but he backflipped to avoid her strikes with the extra kick to her chin on his way out.

Sakura hit the ground anew as Sasuke landed on his feet and ran towards her. She quickly grabbed a handful of snow and flung it at him, hitting him right in the face as he stopped dead in his tracks. Sitting up, she swung her right leg, sweep-kicking him off his feet. The rookie of the year, however, caught himself with one hand and flipped back to his feet, already wiping the snow away, but it allowed Sakura to get back to her own feet.

She ran right towards him, hoping he'd launch a kick at her, which he obliged. Fully expecting it, she crossed her arms in front of her to block it, then quickly grabbed his leg. She pivoted on her feet as she attempted to throw him up, but he jumped off his second leg and delivered a kick right to her head. As she started to fall, she made a tossing motion at Sasuke, who saw that she had a smoke bomb in her hand.

_SHIT!! _he cried mentally before it exploded in his face. She went into that exchange not hoping to catch his kick, but to get him close enough to throw a smoke bomb at point-blank range!

But she wasn't Naruto. She wasn't accustomed to fighting in a smokescreen, so she wouldn't be able to see either.

The Haruno regained her footing and charged into the smokescreen, only to hit nothing. _What!? _But Sasuke should have been standing somewhere in the smoke, how did she miss?

That's when she felt something grab her ankle as her eyes went wide with horror. He had dropped to all fours, allowing him both to avoid her and set up for his next strike!

Jerking Sakura's leg, Sasuke threw the girl off balance as he got up to uppercut her in the stomach, only to hit thin air. His momentary surprise allowed Sakura to get a solid blow on Sasuke's chest, knocking him out of the smokescreen. Sasuke thought he had grabbed Sakura's _right _ankle when he really had grabbed her left_,_ throwing off his aim just enough for Sakura to dodge.

That's when Sakura jumped out of the smoke towards Sasuke on the ground, both fists ready, but Sasuke avoided her strikes. However, her fists hit the ground and when they came up they were covered in rock-like gloves on her hands.

Sasuke breathed out in annoyance as he formed the Faiatama in both hands. The fireballs came to life in his hands immediately, their fire mimicking that which Sasuke felt within him as they both charged each other, with Sakura's Rock Gloves striking hard against Sasuke's handheld fireballs. The Rock Gloves began cracking under the strain from the Katon while the Faiatamas were beginning to bulge from the force on them like a balloon from the Doton.

Finally both techniques expired in a shower of rocks and flames when Sasuke lunged his head forward, using the metal on his headband to strike against Sakura's exposed forehead.

As expected, the girl gave a cry of pain from the blow as Sasuke maneuvered his foot behind hers and swiftly knocked her legs from beneath her. As she fell, Sasuke made a point of hanging onto her, allowing him to pin her against the ground hard with him partially sitting on top of her.

Sakura began struggling to get out of his grasp but to no avail. "GET OFF ME!!!"

In response, Sasuke just tighten his grip as he knelt closely to her face. "I'm SORRY!! ALRIGHT!?! I'm SORRY that I USED you and your feelings like I did to get my fight with Naruto! It was stupid, idiotic and heartless of me!! Is that what you want to hear!? _I'm SORRY!!_"

"**I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT!!" **

It was almost as if he had been frozen by a Hyouton jutsu because Sasuke went incredibly still at the declaration.

"I don't know!!!" Sakura repeated, breathing hard. She almost looked ready to cry. "Are you happy now!?! I don't know what I want from you!!"

"... you... don't know...?" he repeated. Clearly, this wasn't the answer he was expecting.

"Do you have ANY idea how much it hurt to hear what you did!?!" Sakura went on, tears falling freshly now. "I had spent every waking moment from when we graduated from the Academy trying to win your approval and appreciation!! When you helped me with my genjutsu, I thought I was on the right track at long last! Then I see you sneaking off to go to Orochimaru! I poured my heart out to you!! I would have done ANYTHING for you! I would have ran off with you if you had let me!!"

"... then why don't you simply hate me for what I did and tell me to jerk off?"

"Why?" Sakura then did something that completely astonished the young Uchiha.

She laughed.

A low sad laugh. The type of laugh you would use to get ready for a large party that you had been looking forward to for weeks, only to arrive a day early than when it was scheduled to take.

"Why? It's rather _obvious, _isn't it?! Even one with the emotional range of pond scum like you should be able to figure it out! Because I _still _feel that way about it! Even after knowing what you've done and using me for it, I still feel that way about you!!"

At that statement, Sasuke did his best impression of a gaping fish out of water.

"Do you GET IT yet!?! I'm torn here! I can't decide to whether to hate you or love you! On the one hand, you used and took advantage of my feelings like they were nothing! I SHOULD hate you for that! But on the other hand, I enjoy being around you! When you let down your defenses and let people be close to you, you can be quite a charming and caring human being!! I spent months with you on Team 7 and years in the Academy admiring you! I can't toss that all away even if I wanted to! I just want to be able to rip both of these feelings out of me so I can decide what to do, but I CAN'T!! I couldn't decide what to do and the more nagging you did about it, the worse it got! How can I answer your question when I can't decide if I want to punch you or hug you!?"

At that point, tears were flowing down Sakura's face quite steadily now, like she had confessed some horrible sin. Though being forced to confront a painful internal issue out loud to the direct cause of that said issue with no resolution available could be argued with a close second.

Sasuke just hung his head low as he loosened his grip on her. "Then let's start over."

Sakura had to blink a few times to try and clear the tears away to get a better look at him. Start over? What did he mean by – she trailed off as she looked over his shoulder, seeing what looked like a falling star coming right at them. It only took a fraction of a second to realize just what it was and it wasn't a falling star.

It was the glimmer of a sword.

At the same instant, Sasuke caught sight of the sword as he quickly leaped off to the side, while Sakura rolled off to the other. A short sword stabbed into the ground where the two had been just a millisecond ago, a Snow Ninja kneeling on the ground next to it.

"Teenagers..." the man said in disgust as he stood up. He looked the same as any ordinary Shinobi of the Snow Country except for a small silver emblem on his chest depicting a steel fist and a scar on his left cheek as he jerked his sword from the ground. "You're all alike, thinking the entire world resolves around you to the point where you can have a love spat without a care in the world. Pathetic."

Sasuke had jumped to his feet with a large look of disbelief and a groan to match. Sakura tried to get up, only for a second Snow Ninja to jump down on her, keeping her pinned to the ground. "Stay here, young one," the man stated.

"Sakura!" Sasuke hollered, only to jump backwards to keep the sword from striking through his neck.

"You don't need to worry about her, _Uchiha,_" the other snow ninja spat, venom in his voice as he gripped the sword in his hand tighter, which Sakura saw was shorter than a normal katana. A chokuto, she thought it was called. "I have spent far too much time tracking you down for you to be distracted by your stupid little girlfriend."

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked carefully, his eyes darting from Sakura on the ground to the snow ninja on top of her (whom looked vaguely familiar to him) to the woods expecting more ambushes.

In response, the man tossed back his hood and lower his facial mask, revealing that he was missing the lower half of his left ear. "My name is Enrai Taigi." He put the chokuto in his... mouth?... as he pulled out a scroll. "You killed my lover." With that, he summoned two normal-sized katanas which he held in his hands in the reverse grip style. "Prepare to die."

* * *

(**Author's Note**) Whew! Done at last! I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. Feels like that's all I say lately, gotta change that. This time, I got more involved in my church and had a rather busy couple of weeks which left me more exhausted than usual and cut into my writing time. But that's all over now and so now I can get back to it!

So I hope this chapter was enjoyable and worth the wait. Had a war meeting surrounding Doto's plans while he taunts Naruto, and Sakura and Sasuke finally start to resolve things between them, only to be interrupted by Taigi and Homare. Their luck is not too good, is it?

And like the other times in this story, once again, if you can't reason with someone, just beat the crap out of them ^_^ Alright, in all seriousness, no, don't do that. As you read, Sasuke and Sakura got into a small fight over the issue. Nothing too elaborate, but I hope it was enjoyable. There was an ulterior motive for having them duke it out rather than just talking or whatever and it deals with Team 7 as a whole. Or more specifically, its three youngest members.

It's to deal with the issue of 'who is the strongest' between Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Much like the Sannin, people debate whom is the strongest among them and due to Jiraiya having Sennin Mode, he is often labeled as the strongest of the three.

I'm not one of them (no offense to those that do name one stronger than the others). I take the stance that there is no one strongest member between them. That each one has their own strengths and weaknesses that balance them out like the old phrase Snake beats Frog beats Slug beats Snake. A roundabout way of portraying equality, but it works. And I decided to do the same thing with Team 7 here with Sasuke the 'Snake', Naruto the 'Frog' and Sakura the 'Slug' and reversed it. So that the Frog (Naruto) beat the Snake (Sasuke), the Snake beat the Slug (Sakura) and the Slug beat the Frog. Yes, I know Sasuke's future summons in this storyline are eagles and not snakes, but the Sannin imaginary that Team 7 shares with them is still prominent.

In the previous Naruto vs Sasuke fight and Sakura vs Naruto fight, some disliked the fact I had a clear winner. That I should have gone with ties to show the equality. I chose this method. Showing that while Sakura may not be as skilled as Naruto and Sasuke in fighting, she does have other attributes that she's better at than them. That there is no one strongest member among the three, that they all balance each other out with their own strengths and weaknesses. That each one is capable of both defeating and losing to the others. That's _my _stance on the matter. For both Team 7 and the Sannin and something I plan to show with the remainder of this story and that of Chuuten when the time comes.

The talking leading up to Sakura and Sasuke's fight, I hoped to match to the previous one they had in the flashback in the second chapter, only with the situations reversed. Do let me know if I succeeded in that venture or not. In any case you can decide for yourselves if Sasuke was justified in doing what he did to resolve the issue between him and Sakura or not.

Shout out to Tellemicus once more for putting up with my nagging questions to help make this chapter better!

Until next time!

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	21. The Reason Why

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 21 – The Reason Why_

**1:54 pm**

**Homare**

The two teammates had been searching for hours now, taking shelter from the storm only when it had been at its most severe. Even a revenge-obsessed Taigi realized that continuing on would have been suicidal. They had quickly built a shelter using Hyouton ninjutsu that every Snow Shinobi was trained to use in case something went wrong while they were on a mission. The Snow Country could be very unforgiving at times, even to those who called it home.

The worst part of the storm had passed roughly thirty minutes ago and the two continued on with their self-appointed mission. By this time, Homare was convinced that their targets were long gone or had been buried alive in the storm, in which case they would probably never be found.

He was about to insist yet again that they should stop this foolishness when both of them detected two weak chakra signatures just in front of them. Racing over, they came to a clearing and to Homare's utter disbelief, he saw that not only had Naruto-kun's two teammates survived against all odds like Taigi claimed, but they were now fighting _each other! _

How could anyone be this foolish?

Homare shot a look at his teammate, who looked just as shocked as he was. He knew it wouldn't be long before the Loyalist would recover and act out the vengeance he wanted.

So in that short instance, Homare thought up a way to make sure honor was satisfied. For both parties involved.

**2:04 pm**

**Sasuke**

Sasuke was breathing hard at the injustice of it all, seeing _yet another_ Snow Ninja in their path as the cold wind nipped at his skin, howling through the trees like some old shrieking banshee. Out of the corner of his scarred eye, he saw a second Yuki-nin pinning Sakura down on the snow, a kunai to her throat and holding both of her arms with his other hand.

_Damn it… what am I going to do? I'm not ready for another fight! Or are they just going to use her life and demand I surrender without one? _the Uchiha thought to himself, doing a quick mental recount: he had no shuriken, kunai or exploding tags, and a katana was jabbed through the weapons holster. He had some of the other supplies like wires and maybe some smoke bombs. He was far too tired to utilize his full speed. His chakra reserves were pitifully low, maybe enough for one or two C-ranked attacks. Or a couple of D-ranked ones. And he doubted he'd be able to keep on his Sharingan even for a few minutes. And the Curse Seal was definitely out.

And let's not forget that this guy – whom fought with a sword in his _mouth _– was apparently after him because he killed his lover. Sasuke had only killed one person so far, and that was the fire psycho freak.

_So I'm gonna die because I took down some crazy lady trying to kill me… by someone crazy enough to accept a person like that as a girlfriend? _Sasuke asked himself miserably. Just which of the two was the more crazy here? The girl herself or the one that took a liking to her?

That's when Taigi dashed towards him, with no warning or announcement, slashing the two swords in his hands towards Sasuke's chest. He quickly pivoted on his right foot to his sword, both swords just missing him as they came right past him. Before he could react further, that man took a hard left jerk with his head, the mouth sword aiming right at the boy's neck while the two other swords clashed in on him from either side like a pair of scissors. Having no other choice, Sasuke quickly ducked to avoid the three blades as they clashed together, cutting through a few strands of Sasuke's hair instead of his flesh. The man's two arm swords whipped around with a surprising amount of speed in a full circle as they came straight at Sasuke's face, who had to roll backwards to miss the blades.

Then halfway through his roll, while he was still off balance and disoriented, Taigi leapt forward with a fierce knee strike just as Sasuke's face came back around, the man's knee crushing hard into the Leaf Genin's face as he went flying backward into a tree, giving a loud cry of pain as blood trickled from his nose and mouth.

"Santoryu: Biisuto Shuugeki," Taigi growled, spinning the two swords in his hands around as he glared at Sasuke with utmost hatred. "Get up, Uchiha. There is no satisfaction in killing you if you don't offer up some resistance. Or else my revenge will be meaningless."

"We certainly don't want that happening," Sasuke muttered, climbing to his feet as he wiped his face, but the bleeding wouldn't stop. _How ironic that someone's coming after _me _for revenge…_

"Santoryu: Biisuto Kyoubou." Taking the initiative once more, Taigi leapt towards Sasuke in the blink of an eye. _Shit… he's fast! _Reluctantly, he turned on his Sharingan as a series of quick, fierce slashes came at him from both hand swords as Sasuke began dodging as best he could with the least amount of movement. Despite his efforts, he still felt Taigi's blades nick at his arms, legs, and even his right side before he whipped his mouth sword down at Sasuke. Taking a chance, he met the chokuto halfway, his right hand on top and left on bottom, as his hands clapped down on the blade, halting it right in its tracks. With a small push, he shoved the smaller sword to the side as he jumped forward, his elbow ready to bury itself in Taigi's face, who, at the last moment, bent down and let his headband take the blow. The force, however, still made him back off from the recoil.

Whipping through the seals as fast as he could, Sasuke blew out several small fireballs at the man, aiming at his feet. Predictably, he had to jump from foot to foot, each effort keeping him backing off and unable to reaffirm his footing. On the fifth one, he planted his left foot on the ground hard and kicked with his right, the shin guard neutralizing the last of the fireballs.

Acting immediately, he ripped out his own borrowed katana from the holster as he ran as fast as he could manage (which was less than a third of his normal speed), his blade parallel to the ground as he attempted to strike the man in the chest, only for the man to lazily slap it upward with his left sword. He almost seemed bored. Almost, had it not been for the cold fury etched in his face.

Taigi set his right foot back down as he spun around Sasuke. "A charging attack can be a deadly strike, but it's also dangerous because, used recklessly, it leaves you open to a counter attack more easily, _boy_. You can't react with a sword as you would with your own body, brat." With that, he slammed the handle of his right sword into the base of Sasuke's neck, who coughed out another large amount of blood as he fell face first on the ground. "Not a move for an idiotic novice like yourself. In terms of speed, strength, skill, taijutsu, even ninjutsu, I'm only average. But as a _swordsman_, I have no equal in the Snow Country!"

With that, he kicked Sasuke hard into his injured side as he flew into the air, with Taigi right behind him. While in midair, he slashed and attacked the Leaf Ninja all at once with his three blades… only for the boy to burst into a very well cut log a moment later, earning a renewed look of contempt on the Snow Ninja's face at realizing he didn't hit his enemy.

The real Sasuke jumped out from the bushes and backflipped upward through a tree, which he had gotten into the high branches of to conceal himself, panting hard. More than he felt he would be by now. Clearly, this ninja was not one to be taken lightly, made all the more clear as he felt ready to collapse and this guy was fresh. He had to get out of here _now_! Out of the corner of his scarred eye, he glanced downward to see the second snow ninja still holding Sakura down. He needed to get that man off her so they could both hightail it out of here and somehow cover their tracks to keep these two from pursuing… but how in the seven hells was he going to manage to pull something off like that?

What was he going to do? _Think, damn it! _Sasuke cursed himself mentally while he subconsciously tightened his grip on his sword. _What can I do in this situation!_

His desperation to think of a way out of this mess resulted in him shuffling around in his makeshift hiding spot, just enough for Taigi's head to whip around and spot him. Still utilizing the reverse grip for both katanas in his hands, he dashed over to the base of the tree as he loosened his grip on his right hand. Pouring chakra through his palm to the hilt of his blade, the weapon began spinning around madly as he reared his arm back and slammed it into the tree trunk, the spinning blade burrowing into the wood as if it were paper.

The force behind the strike shook the entire fifty-eight meter tall tree, causing Sasuke to lose his balance momentarily. In that split second, the Snow Loyalist quickly tighten the grip on his spinning sword, then gave a dramatic upward slash through the tree, splitting the _entire thing_ in two.

The Leaf Genin gave a startled cry as the two sides of the tree began plummeting to the snow-covered earth as he leapt out of the branches, only to see that his foe was now right in front of him, his eyes screaming in rage as he lashed out with his two arm katanas, easily whacking Sasuke's own weapon out of his hands. Sasuke felt his heart rate shoot up as his neck clenched at the sight of the man's mouth sword coming right at his throat.

Images of being trapped in that frozen hellhole of a lake and the darkness overtaking him flooded into his mind. _I'M _NOT _DYING HERE, DAMMIT! _Tilting his head down, his headband intercepted the chokuto's blade, the sound of the two pieces of metal clanging around them. Flashing his hands forward, Sasuke grabbed around of the sword itself, the sharpened edge cutting into his palms as he did. With a sharp kick to the man's stomach for momentum, Sasuke flipped upward, fully intending to plant his right heel into the jerk's spine and crush it.

It didn't work. Before Sasuke could get halfway into his kick, Taigi dropped both swords in his hands, freeing them up. His left hand then clamped down on Sasuke's left leg and pulled him down, causing Sasuke's heel to miss its target, barely nicking the Snow Ninja's side as Taigi's right hand clasped around Sasuke's throat hard.

Gravity took full force as the two fell back to the ground, with Taigi furiously slamming his left fist into the boy's face over and over while simultaneously crushing on the boy's throat harder. The right side of the Uchiha's face began to swell and dampen with blood. Sasuke once more felt darkness beginning to take him once more as his body went limp. Through his pain and rapidly fading awareness, a single thought, one Sasuke _never_ thought he'd _ever_ consciously acknowledge since the night of the massacre, passed through the young Uchiha's mind before the blackness took over completely…

… _I'm scared… _

Then all went dark and Uchiha Sasuke was gone.

* * *

**Seconds earlier**

**Taigi**

Seeing the boy's eyes close, Taigi quickly released his grip on the child's throat and stopped his beating as his hands formed the six necessary seals. His right hand was then enveloped in an eerie dark blue chakra before slamming it into Sasuke's chest right as the two crashed to the ground.

The boy's heart stopped instantly.

Taigi stood up in a stony silence as his two blades hit the ground on either side of him. "What pitiful vengeance," he said disgustedly as he took the chokuto from his mouth. "Is that really all you are, Uchiha Sasuke? I expected so much more out of you."

"Perhaps if you didn't fight him on his last legs like I said, you would have gotten more satisfaction." Taigi's head turned to see his teammate walking over to him. Seeing past Homare's shoulder, he saw the pink-haired girl out cold on the snow.

"There is no honor in fighting him like this," Homare went on. "As I repeatedly told you. And yet you chose to ignore it."

"Shut up," Taigi snapped back, bending down to reclaim his other two blades. "We're _shinobi. _You want honor, go join the Samurai. We specialize in the dark and dirty. We don't care if our opponent is fresh, ready or not. What matters is that we complete the job. That is our way."

Homare just crossed his arms. "Honor is not limited to just one group of people. It is accepted by many, including yourself. Different lengths and definitions to each of us, but recognized nonetheless. Otherwise you would be celebrating your "victory" as opposed to whining."

Taigi just growled in his throat at the man in response as he looked back at the downed boy. He _should _be HAPPY that he ended the miserable cur! He got what he wanted! He got his revenge for Shigi and it had been easy! He cut down the boy's life and there was nothing the brat could have done about it!

So why… WHY… did he feel WORSE off!

"I don't want to hear it!" Taigi spat angrily, speaking at last as he pointed a sword right in Homare's face. "I did what you wanted for the girl, so spare me all your honor shit!" He looked back at the boy as he swung his chokuto up and around. "Now I'm going to take a page from Mizore's book and claim a trophy from this!" That would surely bring him the satisfaction he so rightly deserved for his revenge! Before Homare could do anything, Taigi swung his katana down full force towards the young brat's neck.

However, it only slammed into the ground, barely scratching the boy.

The Snow Chunin just stood there, disbelief on his face. What the hell was wrong with him? He was _the best _swordsman in the Snow Country! How did he miss such an easy swing? The boy was dead! What was the matter with him!

Growling like some feral beast, he just kicked the boy hard in spite of Homare's protests. "Fine. Have it your way," he said savagely to Homare, attempting to save face in front of his teammate as he took out his scroll. "There is a more important matter for me to attend to anyway." With that, he put his three swords back in his scroll and put his hood and facial mask back on. He took a single leap into the nearest tree branch and sped from the place, Homare not far behind. The two were soon gone.

* * *

**Sakura**

The still form of the pink-haired kunoichi of Konoha lay in the snow, much like her teammate not too far from her did as the two left. However, unlike her friend whose eyes remained closed, Sakura's right eye carefully opened as she looked around.

Seeing no one around in the immediate area, she took a chance and carefully got up as her green eyes scanned the horizon for any signs of the enemy. A considerable feat since her head was pounding and her world was spinning around, unwilling to focus for her.

She had been on the verge of panic when the ambush had come and the person pinned her to the ground while Sasuke was forced to fight, tired and weakened against a new foe. The feelings of uselessness and being a burden had sprung into her like a flash flood as the fight had progressed and she had been willing to try just about anything – even if it meant her throat being cut open! – to do something to help out, simply to be able to at least _attempt _to be useful and help her friend.

The only thing that had stopped her was the man's kunai handle slamming into the back of her head

"_If you expect to live through this, you better do exactly what I tell you to and play opossum. There is no honor in fighting your friend like this, so to make up for this, we're going to let you go. But my rather vengeful teammate can quickly forget about that little promise if he sees you rear your little pretty head around him, so you better stay out until we're out of sight. I have slipped a map for you in your weapon's pouch. Go home, girl. Not all missions end in success. Smart shinobi have to know when to cut their losses and live."_

Those had been the man's words as he had pinned her to the ground. Honor or not, she didn't understand why he was granting mercy on her like this when they were clearly enemies, trying to bring down the current regime and Doto publically declaring them to be stopped. He clearly didn't gain anything from this and he would miss whatever honor or reward he would most certainly get by bringing her in.

She went along with it because she didn't see what else she could do. He already had her at his mercy and a quick cut would have ended her. Someone willing to let her go was about the best she could hope for under the circumstances, so she had no choice but to go along with it. After all, even if it was a ruse somehow, then it would just go back to what she was expecting anyway: despair and death.

Looking over at Sasuke's still form, Sakura felt her heart miss a few beats, not wanting to believe the sight she was seeing. Completely abandoning any sense of caution, she scrambled over to the boy's side as quickly as she could, dropping to her knees as she looked him. His skin color was shallow and she detected no breathing from him. She quickly grabbed his left wrist, feeling for a pulse.

Nothing.

Fear gripped harder at the prospect. She quickly shook her head so her mind wouldn't think of that dreadful sentence that was hovering ominously in the recesses of her mind. It couldn't be true… it just couldn't! Desperate, she dropped Sasuke's hand as she placed her hands on the Uchiha's chest while her mind was trying to recall every bit of information she had learned in Tsunade's CLS classes. There had to be something she could do when…

She paused as she reexamined Sasuke's chest. There was a sort of constricting feel to it, like it was slowly being crushed. Was that normal? She didn't think so. Carefully, she channeled chakra into her finger tips as she tried to get a clearer picture of what was going on.

After several minutes of touch and go, she understood what was going on. There was a layer of foreign chakra around Sasuke's heart, stopping it in place and preventing it from beating. In addition, it was slowly crushing the organ, much like a snake would constrict its prey to death.

Her own heart beat harder at this discovery as she channeled more of her chakra into his body. So his heart had been forcibly stopped. If she could get rid of that barrier, then maybe she could revive him. It might not be too late. If the thing was restricting, then a few touches of her chakra directly that barrier _outward_ would break…

That's when it constricted even further, sending a chill down her spine as she stopped, praying to any kami that was listening that she didn't make things worse. That didn't work at all! She shot a desperate glance at Sasuke's face, hoping for some sign if was still possible to save him.

Flashes of Shizune lecturing entered her mind. Random words like 'duty', 'concentrate' and 'responsibility' came to mind, but they were fluttering around like butterflies, making her unable to string them together into anything meaningful. She knew she should be calm and proceed carefully; that this was the very reason why she should, because a patient's life was hedging on her being able to not bend under pressure and the stress or risk of losing the patient. Never mind the fact that this was a close personal friend who had served as a large crush and role model for her.

Desperation having a firm root in her now, she channeled her chakra into Sasuke once more. If pushing that barrier outward didn't work, then the only other option was _inward_! To use the constricting nature's own force in addition to her own chakra. The rapid flow of energy should break open that chakra barrier much like water forcing out through a broken dam.

Or completely crush his heart.

* * *

**2:30 pm**

**Naruto**

Naruto hung alone in his cell; his face would have easily passed for one of the dead. If one were to look at him, some might have gone as far to claim he was actually dead. Not a spark of life could seen midst the boy's body no matter where you looked, from his singular blue eye down to the tip of his toes. After careful observation, one would be able to make out the slight rising and falling on the young man's chest, indicating his respiratory systems were working. Shinobi veterans of countless missions or service in a war would recognize this young man's symptoms almost instantaneously. A victim of a travesty that had hunted man for as long as history could remember that could destroy an individual so completely that one might as well wish they were dead, rather than continue living.

Complete despair.

Nothing mattered to Naruto right now as the gravity of the situation was sinking into his flesh and bones as surely as one carved them with a kunai. He could still see them, over and over.

A collapsing iceberg on top of a single man that didn't even leave a body behind; a frozen-over lake that trapped two young souls inside its icy jaws of death; a young woman who had already given into her own hopelessness being led out to what he was sure was her own demise and the words of a promise of more to suffer and die at his expense.

He closed his sole working eye. How could they have been so foolish, so _arrogant_? What made them believe they could accomplish the impossible after ten years of failures, over the lost lives of countless men and women who had tried and been crushed just as he had. How many times had they been warned that continuing this mission was suicidal, that three people simply could not fight an entire country alone?

Why hadn't they listened? Was it simple pride, being unwilling to accept the impossible? Had it been naïve optimism, a characteristic of their youth and inexperience that led them to this bitter end? Perhaps it was an overinflated ego from surviving and accomplishing overwhelming odds before in the forms of the missing nin Zabuza and Haku, to making it to the final portions of the Chunin Exams and bringing down the powerful but insane Gaara, to defeating five of Orochimaru's underlings and bringing Sasuke back home, foiling who knew how many goals and plans that the former Konoha shinobi had?

Or could it have just been his guts to never give up?

He always prided himself on being able to follow through with his promises, even before meeting Bushybrow. To be able to meet any challenge head on and overcome it, no matter the odds. But was giving up necessarily a bad thing? It didn't just mean to stop trying and submit, it also allowed you to be able to recognize a situation, realize you were in over your head and reevaluate your options so you could succeed at another time.

True, there were times were retreat wasn't an option. If he had given up, even temporarily when facing Gaara, Sakura would had been crushed to death, maybe Sasuke as well since the Uchiha had been on the verge of exhaustion. Times where you had to stand your ground even if it meant your own death to stand up for what was right. But that did necessarily apply to _every _situation out there?

Just how different would his situation be if they did wait just _three days _for Leaf reinforcements to arrive? Kakashi would have still fallen at the Iceberg, but Sandayuu and his men would surely still be alive… as would be his two… _friends. _

That's when he realized he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Nudging his head to the left, his right eye widen in surprise despite what he was currently feeling. Three people were walking down the hall. Two of them Doto's own ninja.

The third was Koyuki.

He almost didn't believe it. A corner of his mind whispered that it was just a trick. That Doto was bringing in a fake just to screw with his mind. While they never actually said they were taking the actress to be executed, why wouldn't they? There was nothing stopping them and she was a symbol to Snow, a symbol that could prove far more trouble to Doto than three little dumbass genin who thought the world revolved around them.

Naruto heard mocking comments from the princess' two escorts. From what he could gather, she had been brought to Doto for a live broadcast so he could show off his niece to his country and crush any lingering threads of hope any of the citizens might have. And he was positive that Doto would have done his best to verbally demolish Koyuki to everyone he could and irreparably shatter the symbol that she was.

He watched in silence was Koyuki was locked back into her cell and the two guards headed out, leaving them alone.

"You look like hell," Koyuki stated.

"Yeah? So do you," the blond retorted.

"I know."

Naruto didn't bother to respond to that comment. Somehow, seeing that she hadn't been put to death was giving him a second wind. Someone was still alive… he hadn't failed _everyone_ yet. Maybe Team 7 had made all the wrong choices, maybe they should have done something else, maybe it didn't matter. Naruto just knew that right now he had to get out of here, keep at least her alive. He'd worry about his earlier actions later.

"There's no spring in this country."

The fact Koyuki had spoken those words caught the one-eyed boy off guard, making him temporarily forget his regained determination to break free. "You said that before. What do you mean?"

Koyuki didn't seem to be looking at him when she replied. "'You'll see when spring comes, Koyuki.' My father used to say that. Because of the perpetual winter in this country, I had never seen spring as a child. It was as distant and foreign to me as a child's fairytale story. Even so, I was curious. He told me to close my eyes, to imagine myself surrounded with flowers. To run as fast as I could. That, he said, was spring." Her face darkened a bit before continuing. "And he told me that if I never gave up, if I believed in the future, then spring was sure to come."

She paused for a moment, then, for the first time, she looked directly at Naruto with those soft, empty brown eyes of hers. "But you should realize the truth by now: this country has **no **spring. My father died. I fled from the Snow Country and I stopped believing. I was always running, always lying to people… though mostly I was just lying to myself. My life has become one big charade. Becoming an actress was about the only thing I was cut out for in this world."

The boy was silent as she finished her little tirade. Then he nudged his mouth into his collar and bit down, pulling out a filer. Using his arm strength, he pulled himself up and began filing away on his chains.

"That's not going to change anything, you know."

Naruto ignored her as he continued his work. He worked on it for several long minutes, then when he was halfway through the first link of the chain, the file snagged on something and he ended up dropping it to the floor.

"Told ya. In the end, all you can do is give up. If you had done so earlier, you and your team would still be alive. All your work, all your struggling made no difference. Doto still won," she said, putting her face against her knees.

"… if I gave up, it would mean acknowledging they were right."

Koyuki's head jerked back up.

"My home had labeled me an outcast. Something to be despised and hated. For a long time, I had no one I could call on as a friend. The coldness of their eyes all told me to just give up, to roll over and die." At that, the princess noticed that fire coming back in his eye as he began pulling on his chains as hard as he could. "If I give up now… or anytime… it would mean accepting what everyone labeled me!" At this time, that chakra device began flaring up, painful electric bolts zapping Naruto all over his body as he gave a pained cry.

"Stop!" Koyuki shouted, unable to help herself as she stood up right at the bars.

"I REFUSE to accept it!" Naruto was livid now, almost as he was reminding himself why he never gave up as well as Koyuki. "I _refuse _to believe that I should have just taken the coward's way out and died alone in some back alley!" He gave another yell. "And. I. AM. _NO. __**COWARD**_!" With that, the chain broke and Naruto hit the floor as the chakra device powered back down to its dormant state.

"… Naruto…" Koyuki asked hesitantly.

Slowly, Naruto picked himself up and got back to his feet. "And because I persisted, good things _did _happen. When you give up, your dreams and everything else… THEY'RE GONE!"

Those last two words echoed down the hallway, as if the ghosts of the past were all agreeing with the orange-clad youth with a singular eye and whisker-like markings.

Naruto began examining his cell, remembering very well not to touch the bars as he shot Koyuki his trademark grin. "And I'm going to show you that your father and Sandayuu weren't wrong."

With that, he sat down on the cold hard floor, crossing his legs. He put one elbow on his knee and resting his chin in that arm's palm, his head nodded downwards slightly with both eyes closed. The other arm is at ease by his side as Naruto was now lost in thought. As Koyuki watched him, she felt something start boiling within her. A feeling she had thought was long since dead.

The power to believe.

* * *

**2:58 pm**

It was warm. And soft. It was quite comfortable. A feeling of contentment that hadn't been felt in a long time.

That's when his eyes burst open. He could still the raw soreness of his wounds and that of his face greatly. He was back inside that snow shelter he had built. Several questions popped into his mind. How did he get here? Why was he here? Why wasn't he dead?

"So you've come to at last. I'm glad," he heard a feminine voice speak, a mixture of awe and relief in it. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

Sasuke became immediately aware of his present circumstances and just _why _he felt so comfortable. The thought of which made his face redden ever so slightly.

His head was resting on Sakura's lap.

Almost like a primal instinct, Sasuke was one millisecond from bolting upward from his position, but Sakura was quicker, placing a firm hand on his head keeping him in place. "None of that. You need to rest and recover." He heard the tone of finality in her voice and complied.

Besides… it wasn't _too _bad lying here.

It took Sasuke a couple of moments to form the words that allowed him to ask what happened since he had been out. Sakura explained the ending of the fight, Homare's words to her, how she had rushed to his side when the two Yuki-nin departed, how she was able to get rid of the barrier stopping his heart and then bringing him back to their homemade shelter to recover.

Once she was finished, he gave her a nod, though in truth he was lost in his own mind. If his heart really had stopped, didn't that mean he had been dead? Even if only for a short while until Sakura revitalized him? Just what did one say when that happened? Somehow, just a simple 'Thank you', didn't seem enough or appropriate.

"I see. Thank you. Guess it's my turn to thank you for saving my life," he said at last. Kami, he was lame if that was the best he could say!

The girl merely smiled at that as she stroked his head in an almost motherly fashion.

"I'm sorry for… earlier." The words were out of his mouth before he realized what he was saying and immediately grew concerned that he was provoking the sleeping lion rather than letting the matter lie.

Sakura gave a slight jerk of the head as it took her a moment to grasp what he was saying. "It's alright. Maybe that's just what I needed all along: confronting the issue rather than avoiding it." She gave a slight grin to him.

Sasuke breathed out through his nose at that. That hadn't been so bad after all.

"But if you try a stunt like that again, _I'll rip your head off._" There was no change in tone in her voice, but Sasuke heard her meaning very clearly.

Like an obedient puppy, he just nodded at the young pink-haired girl's words. "So do you have your answer then?"

Once again, Sakura was taken back by his comment as that particular question had eluded her given everything that happened during the last half hour. What hurt worse was that after all of it, even coming close to losing Sasuke for good throughout it, she still didn't know. The downed look on the kunoichi's face told Sasuke all he needed.

"Let's start over."

Sakura looked down at him, not understanding.

"Let's start over," Sasuke repeated. "Put it all aside. Forget if it's love, hatred, all of it. Let's start anew and see where we'll go."

Sakura's brain had to process what he was saying. Start over. Go on as if nothing had happened. At first, she thought he meant just forget about the incident entirely as if it had never happened but then understood that wasn't the case. It wasn't that they would forget what had happened, but stop letting it impact them. What's done was done and it was time to move on in life, start fresh.

They would go back to being just teammates for now. Where that would lead, they didn't know. Maybe it would just stay at the friend stage. Maybe they would grow apart, to the point where they were strangers to each other. Maybe that would go further and become more than just friends in the future. It could take anywhere from a matter of weeks to years.

But whatever end that journey may take, they would start it together with no ill will between them, so she gave her nod of agreement to Sasuke's proposal.

"And I have a way to start things," Sasuke said, bringing her gaze down on her once more. "Remember that favor I mentioned for keeping silent about your little mishap?"

That sinking feeling she had felt when he had said that the first time returned full force. Had this been the Sasuke she knew from the Academy, she wouldn't had been worried. The worst he would have asked of her then would had been to stop bugging him for dates. Now she wasn't so sure. The past events of recent times with her proclamation of him being her best friend, the entire issue with his leaving and all the chaos between them on the ship swarmed through her mind. Part of her feared that Sasuke would take advantage of all that. That she should dissolve her friendships with Ino and the others, to never work alongside him again so they could sort everything out. Part of her was scared that Naruto's little "prank" he had done on Sasuke awoke some little squirming pervert inside of him and made him curious to see the _real _thing.

"… what do you want?" she asked, her hand subconsciously reaching for her shirt. Might as well get this over with.

"… I want you to help me through this."

She stopped. "Huh?"

Sakura could see he was having trouble forming the words, and not just because he made several false starts to explain what was on his mind. It was so apparent, he might as well have written 'Completely Confounded' in large print all over his face. Finally, he spoke.

"Ever since our little… mishap… things in my mind… just seem to be sprawling… out of control." A strained look overcame his face and she noted he avoided looking at her in the face since his own was starting to color. "Emotions. Thoughts. Some concerning you. It's been driving me nuts and I need… someone to help me sort them all out and what they mean to me. Someone who I can trust not to laugh and be truthful with me on them."

She wasn't entirely sure she heard right. It almost sounded like he wanted to pour out his soul to her and let her help explain what it all meant. And just what type of thoughts about _her _had he been having? All it took was one look at his face to realize how hard it was for him to admit such a thing: that he, Uchiha Sasuke, Number 1 Rookie of the Year and last surviving member of the Uchiha clan, needed help understanding thoughts and emotions that were completely foreign to him.

How could she say no? "I'll help you."

Hearing that seemed to relieve him greatly as he let out a long breath of relief. "Can I ask you something then?"

"Sure."

"… what are those night terrors that the shapeshifter mentioned?"

The question caught her completely by surprise, and it was one she didn't know how to readily respond to. "It's stupid," she said at last.

"Tell me," he urged.

She looked down with those bearing emerald eyes of hers before a look of shame came about. "It happened when I was six. I wasn't the most… strong-willed girl around. Always needed Ino to look out for me and bail me out." She gave a hollow laugh as she shook her head. "My self esteem was so low, I always slept with my parents, never wanting to get a room of my own for fear of the boogieman or some random monster I knew was hiding in my closest."

She paused as the old memories of the past returned to her. "A few months after my sixth birthday, I overheard a conversation with Ino and her parents. How proud they were of her, how lucky they were to have a daughter like her." A reluctant smile appeared on her face as she looked at the ceiling. "I envied Ino in so many ways and that was just another one on the list. I wanted what she had: parents who could look at their child with pride and happiness. I thought to make my parents proud, I needed to show I was a strong girl like her… so I went to my parents and asked for my own room.

"It was a shock to them as they insisted they didn't have a problem with me staying in the same room with them. I convinced them that I was ready to be a big girl. I think the fact I was able to say something like that made them happier than me wanting to grow up. So they prepared the room for me that they meant for me to have two years earlier and that night I went to bed alone for the first time… and I heard it."

"Heard what?" Sasuke asked, unable to stop himself.

"A small whimpering sound," she replied. "So small and quiet, and yet still able to pierce all the way to my brain. I didn't sleep at all that night. I just stayed awake the entire time, clutching my blankets as tight as I could, telling myself 'there's no such thing as monsters' over and over. I didn't want to get my parents. Didn't want them to know that that same 'big girl' I talked about cowered on the very same night she made that proclamation.

"Mom and Dad asked me if I had trouble sleeping last night since I was walking around like a zombie and nodding off every five minutes. I lied and said that I was too excited for a friend's birthday coming. For an entire week, that went on with me hearing those sounds at night and me just trying to fight them off. My parents could tell I was lying and that something was wrong, but I was too stubborn to let them come in. Always saying there was nothing wrong. Finally my father came into my room anyway to check on me and to my amazement, he said he heard something. He held me in his arms as Mom called for an ANBU member to check things out."

Sasuke stopped himself from speaking up this time as the look on Sakura's face was becoming more and more ashamed along with the hint of tears to be falling soon.

"… it was a puppy. Barely a month old. It had snuck under our house and gotten stuck. For an entire week, it cried out for help and I ignored it." At that, a few tears did start to form. "It was… lost and hungry. Alone in the dark, starving to death. Desperate for anyone to come to help him, to reassure him. To love him." More tears came now. "Who could have been saved if that idiot of a girl had said something even one hour earlier that night but choose to ignore him and leave him to that fate."

She attempted to laugh. "P-pretty… pa-pathetic… huh? You and Naruto… both have such tragic pasts of being alone. No one to h-h-help you. Having lost your family or never having one to begin with. And all I have… is a s-sob tale of a star…ving puppy who I could have…" By this point, she buried her face in her hands, barely seconds away from losing it completely.

"It's not stupid," Sasuke said. He had an overwhelming urge to embrace and comfort her, but couldn't find the will to move from his spot (and it wasn't because he was resting in her lap, it wasn't!) as he was completely enthralled in her face and completely dumbfounded on how he could have been so idiotic to ask her about such a painful memory.

So he did that next best thing he could think of. He told her of the last night he had a family. The girl listened in silence, not speaking once as he spoke of it. He didn't know if it was because he had already talked about it with Naruto or the fact the two of them were finally reconciling, but the words describing the event came out much more smoothly than the first time. He spoke of the panic he initially felt when arriving at his clan's district, how it rose as he desperately searched the homes for anyone, the encounter with his parents and the confrontation with his brother that followed. The only thing he didn't tell her was the parting words of Itachi and to kill his best friend, since when he tried, he found the words lodging themselves in his throat, refusing to come out.

When he finished, Sakura took her time in responding to him. Finally she said, "I had no idea of the hurt you've been going through."

"Time heals wounds. I'm not nearly as bad as I was back then," Sasuke replied automatically. He may be willing to talk about that night, but that didn't mean he wanted pity. Pity didn't bring back the dead.

Sakura slowly shook her head. "No. That's not what I mean. I mean what's the most painful to you. What you're still suffering with even after all this time."

Sasuke didn't respond as his eye focus shifted from her to the ceiling.

"It's alright to admit you were close to your brother…"

"I'm not!" Sasuke snapped quickly. "He's a monster! Always was! I should have seen it!" Images flashed through his mind: how his brother became more and more distant, when the Police Force had come to him over Shisui's suicide, Itachi throwing a kunai at their clan symbol and that glimpse of that morphed Sharingan. "All that we shared… was a huge FUCKING lie! He means nothing to me!"

Sakura waited patiently for him to finish. "But he _did _at one time. It's alright to say you were fond of your brother. You two had a bond and he threw it aside; not you. Just because he did, it doesn't mean you can't remember the good times. Remember the bond you did have, not what it is now. Its okay to admit his betrayal hurt you badly. You don't have to keep that buried down."

"I'm _still _going to kill him."

"I didn't say you shouldn't, only don't forget the times you did have with him. They were important to you. They're _still _important to you. You're only hurting yourself by trying to convince yourself otherwise."

Sasuke began breathing out harder as new memories came to replace the ones that had previously surfaced. His brother spending time with him, helping him with target practice, blowing off his homework to play with him, carrying him on his back when Sasuke had hurt his ankle. At these images, Sasuke felt his eyes water and immediately covered his face so she wouldn't see. He didn't understand! He never felt his low when he thought about that monster, so why did he feel so… weak and vulnerable now? What did she say that made the damn difference! He didn't feel anything for his… brother… he didn't…

"You know, Sasuke," Sakura said kindly. "It's alright for boys to cry sometimes."

It almost felt like a sharp kick to the gut, yet not in a bad way either as he knew that irritable habit that he had been plagued with since this mission started would not be bothering him ever again. With that, for the first time since the tragedy almost five years ago, Uchiha Sasuke cried his heart out.

* * *

**One hour later**

Haruno Sakura quickly moved through the shelter opening back into the snowy white forest. Sasuke had cried into her lap for almost a full forty minutes before finally going back to sleep. She made him comfortable next, knowing that he needed his rest more than ever in order to start recovering. From both the fight and his memories. She had only paused long enough to write a note for him should he wake up before she returned.

After quickly scanning the horizon, she reached into her pouch and withdrew the map that the Snow ninja had given her. According to it, there was a town only 10 kilometers northeast of where they were now. The closest port was half a day away and Doto's castle was several hours to the west. It was time to see if this map was legit or if this was somehow the enemy's trap, though as before, she couldn't see why this would be a trap when he could have just finished her off earlier.

Wrapping the tattered remains of her cloak around her, she looked up at the sun and got her bearings before proceeding to where the town was. As she walked, her mind drifted back to the conversion she had with Sasuke, part of her hardly believing she had said the things she had. Especially with the subject of Uchiha Itachi.

_Maybe I should take my own advice,_ she told herself as she thought of that poor puppy. She was only hurting herself by trying to convince herself otherwise that it wasn't hurting her, just like Sasuke was with Itachi. But why did admitting to your past pains have to _hurt _so much?

She shook her head, knowing this wasn't the time to think of such things. She had a much more urgent matter to attend to now. It took her twenty minutes to find the town, and during that time, she had been arguing with herself about something she _really _didn't want to do.

Coming to the forest edge, she saw the town down the slope. It was a fairly average size with people going about their daily lives. She saw several food stands, clothing stores and what looked like a clinic. She didn't see anything that looked like a weapon's shop, so she probably wouldn't be able to replace their kunai and other accessories, but the basic needs had to be tended to.

And since she had no money, nor could she risk revealing herself to these villagers, she was just going to have to _take _what she needed; a thought that made her stomach turn. She wasn't a thief, but she knew she had no choice. If she didn't, she and Sasuke would likely die from their injuries and lack of food.

Her and Sasuke or them. Right now, there was no middle ground.

With a final resolve, she steeled herself for what she knew she had to do as she henged herself into a dark brown-haired adult woman and made her way down to the town to begin her work.

Being a ninja could be more demanding in ways she never even considered.

* * *

**(Author's Note) **Another chapter done! I thank you all for your patience and hope this lived up to your expectations. Life got very hectic for me during the last month with the loss of my laptop and other things but I won't bore you all with the details this time around. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?

Little action in this chapter and I hope it wasn't too bad. Lot of talking, soul searching and internal reflections. Do let me know how all those turned out because I hope none of them seemed forced or childish. I sincerely hope it all touched you, my readers, on some level because that would mean I did my job right. And if I didn't, then I'll have to try harder next time. You be the judges.

**Santoryu: Biisuto Shuugeki**-_Three Sword Style: Beast Charge_/ A multi-prong sword charge attack. The opponent will first charge with the two hand swords pointing outward in an attempt to skewer the enemy. Should the enemy dodge, Taigi can use his mouth sword to cut the opponent, moving him back to a vulnerable position and slice with both hand swords. On the off chance that this strike misses as well, it does leave the opponent open to another thrust or physical strike from Taigi. (Low B-Class Kenjutsu)

**Santoryu: Biisuto Kyoubou-**_Three Sword Style: Beast Frenzy_/ A simple multi-slash attack where Taigi will wildly swing all three of his katanas in seemingly random and chaotic directions in attempt to confuse the enemy and make an opening. Taigi will sacrifice accuracy for speed for this move, all but ensuring he will hit something even if it is only a minor cut. (Low C-Class Kenjutsu).

**Hinankunren**-_Disaster Drill_/ Taigi loosens the grip in one or both of his hand swords. Utilizing chakra, it spins the blade exceptionally fast within his loosened grip, adding sheer power and torque to it, allowing the sword to drill through things like wood as though it were just paper with devastating results, all of which can be redirected into a slash movement afterwards. (Mid B-Class Kenjutsu)

**Haato Joumae**-_Heart Lock_/ After the necessary seals, Taigi inserts some of his own chakra around his opponent's heart that will constrict and crush the organ within about five minutes of application. As it is delicately intertwined with the victim's heart, removing it is a very risky process as it can easily fail and one wrong move can lead to immediate death. Requires physical contact on the opponent's chest in order to use, or else the chakra will go astray and fail. (High C-Class Ninjutsu)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta reading this!_


	22. On the Road Again

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 22 – On the Road Again_

**5:31 pm**

Three figures sped through the tree branches at the speed and grace of a dashing cheetah, fast and agile as they made their way through the snow-covered forest, but at a speed one knew they could only maintain for so long. The three figures didn't care about that, pushing themselves as hard as they could in order to get to their destination. They _had _to see if what the snake had claimed was true or not.

And regardless if the leader of Otogakure was full of hot air or really was on the level, one of the two most certainly had the Hex Crystal, so if nothing else, they had to retrieve the bodies to reclaim the key asset for Doto's schemes and Snow's ambitions.

Finally reaching the battle site, the San Eihei landed on the snow-covered grounds. They saw that their defeated countrymen were nowhere to be found as everyone was gone. Tracks suggested that summons had helped carry the injured away, but given the number of hours that had passed since the battle, it was difficult to tell if any of the defeated had managed to recover and help their fellows or if a Snow patrol had come along and gave assistance. That second option was the one that seemed most likely to the three Sentinels.

Mizore had mixed feelings about that. He was a Snow Ninja, so knowing that his countrymen were getting aid made him feel slightly better. These weren't rebels like those accursed Saati Koukennin who were the very definition of stubborn fools fighting for a lost cause; these were comrades who had fought against three Leaf enemies in the name of Doto, who had somehow been defeated by these little kids. Though now knowing the blond's little secret changed the perspective entirely and made sense. With the Kyuubi itself fighting on the brats' side, it was no wonder fifty common level soldiers had been defeated. It even explained why such a creature like Gamabunta could be summoned to the battlefield!

The other side of the fence was that they couldn't truly be that weak. Not being able to stop the Kyuubi host, he could understand, but that meant they should have been able to stop the other two! Some low class Uchiha and a stupid little girl! Sure, Fubuki had been taken off guard by the Uchiha's tactics (a thought that still made him snicker in glee), but he dealt with the pink-haired bitch easily enough.

He subconsciously rubbed his nose as the three Jonins began scouting out the battlefield. He picked up a discarded katana and threw it away in disgust as he used his metal arm to clear around the snow, making sure the bodies were simply buried underneath all the snow here.

"Over here!" Mizore heard Nadare call out.

Seconds later, both Fubuki and Mizore landed on either side of their teammate. In front of them was a large hole in the frozen ice.

"So they did escape," Fubuki stated, gritting her teeth.

"How?" Mizore demanded. "They were tired and exhausted. They should have run out of air long before we even left!"

"Perhaps they know how to use chakra to draw air out of water itself," Nadare hypothesized, recalling that the Copy Nin was known for that trick and he was their sensei before his premature demise.

"Then where did they go?" the Ice Maker Witch asked.

Nadare clearly took his time in responding. "That is not an easy question to answer."

Mizore rolled his eyes. "Understatement of the hour, brainiac."

The Analyst ignored the comment. Mizore recognized that look; he was going into deep thought and overworking that brain of his. Looking at pieces and putting them together. Finally he uttered, "Orochimaru _knew _the two had escaped…"

The other two skipped a few heartbeats. "… you're saying that the snake bastard _freed _them himself?" Fubuki asked, shocked.

"… it would explain why he was so certain they had survived despite the circumstances," Mizore surmised. "But if that's the case, why wouldn't he just capture them then and waste his time letting us do it?"

"My point exactly!" Fubuki explained.

"Inside information," Nadare answered as the two looked at him. "He gets firsthand knowledge on how we work and individually fight."

"… how we respond and handle a crisis…" Fubuki picked up on.

"… evaluating us firsthand to see if we really are capable of conquest…" Mizore finished off, sighing out as he shook his head.

"Getting two snakes to eat their own tails. His own enemies and ourselves while he pulls the strings," Nadare said. "It would explain everything from his knowledge of the genin, to their survival, even why he'd be willing to let the Kyuubi remain in our hands. We do his dirty work while he keeps the know-how on how to destroy us if it comes to that."

"Brilliant… bloody brilliant!" Mizore raged, throwing his hands up. "So what do we do about it? Bite our tail and swallow ourselves?"

Nadare put on a grin that Doto would have been pleased at. "You know what they say: Keep your friends close, keep your enemies _closer._"

* * *

**Same time**

Sasuke and Sakura were walking through the forest once again, the Uchiha taking another bite of jerky from a meat he didn't know (he hoped it wasn't something like tongue of a wolf) while the pink-haired girl was keenly studying the map she got from Homare.

Once Sasuke had awoken from his crying over the pain of his lost family and life, he had risen to see her preparing a small meal of assorted meats, bread, cheese, a few fruits and several bottles of water. The sight of the food had nearly started making the boy drool like a dog as his stomach automatically agreed with the gesture. It seemed like he hadn't eaten in years, though truth be told it had only been this morning.

Of course, after dealing with an ambush, tracking down a runaway Princess, dealing with _another _ambush, running straight into an entire platoon of Snow Shinobi, nearly drowning in a frozen lake, having to survive in a homemade shelter half naked, brawling with his teammate into yet ANOTHER ambush... was it really any surprise he thought it was much longer than half a day?

He gratefully accepted the food from his female teammate, eating like a dog while she mirrored the gesture. It wasn't until his third helping that he bothered to ask Sakura where she got all the food.

Without looking at him, she told him.

When she finished, the food went from tasting like a feast out of heaven to lumps of coal. Nevertheless, he forced himself to continue eating regardless. He **needed **food, and an empty stomach wasn't going to help him survive. As they said: Pride won't fill your stomach.

He could see in the deep emerald eyes of his teammate that she didn't like this any better than he did, and that she also knew there was little choice for anything else given that she had taken the items in the first place. Sasuke didn't bother to ask her the details on how she acquired their meal. He could tell from her stance it had been straightforward enough; sneaking in and out of the village, taking what she wanted with ease while leaving little to any trace of the culprit. Sasuke was willing to bet that if she had to take any extremes, such as subduing anyone unfortunate enough to come across her in the act, her stance would be much different.

However, he could also tell that the act had bothered her considerably. Snow as a whole may not have been that bad off considering its recent history and circumstance in comparison to the Wave Country, but given what Sandayuu said, much of the populace was terrified, so even if their situation wasn't technically dirt-poor poverty, their spirits might have been. He could see in his mind the prospect of Sakura seeing desperate and frightened people before taking the food. It was not something he wished to experience and he could only imagine how Sakura was taking it.

As they had eaten, Sakura had taken out a map of the country and explained how Homare had given it to her. After discussing it between them, they decided to give it a try, reasoning that if it was indeed a trap, traps could work both ways.

With a decision reached, they freshened themselves up as best they could and packed what remained of the food (less than a third of what Sakura originally had), reclaimed Sasuke's discarded katana and made their way out. Kiou had stated that Doto's castle had been 65 kilometers northwest of their position at the battle site. Thanks to the map, they had discovered that they had traveled about 35 kilometers northward, so they hadn't deviated too far from their intended target.

As they continued walking, Sasuke's brain started calculating what their next move should be. They needed to find Naruto, wherever the hell he was. He recalled Koyuki being taken up to Doto's airship and Naruto following, so he was nearly positive that Naruto was still with her, hidden in plain sight and waiting to make a move. Assuming he hadn't already. It seemed the safest bet would be to find Naruto at the castle itself. How to get a hold of him without alerting the entire castle to their presence was a question Sasuke had no answer for.

He also wondered about Naruto's message back home. If their calculations were correct, it still shouldn't have reached Konoha until sometime tomorrow. And even then, with Naruto gone, they had no way to communicate further on a plan of action reinforcements would take.

As Sasuke thought about all the variables, he came to one conclusion: they needed intelligence on Doto's stronghold. Whether they just spied on it, waited for Leaf backup, or broke Koyuki out of the cell, it all came to the same principal: information. They needed to know what sort of place this was, how many ninja and troops would be expected, where prisoners would be held and other critical intelligence. Whatever plan the Leaf came up with, it would all depend on how well they knew the enemy's location.

He and Sakura would spend the next few days learning about Doto's castle until they knew it inside out, ready to act on whatever plan they came up with.

Though _how _they were going to do that was a very good question.

As they walked, they kept chatter between them to a bare minimum while Sasuke activated his Sharingan every few minutes to scan the area around them. Recovering as he was, he couldn't keep it on for even short periods, but he could still manage a few brief glances provided he did so sparingly. They were operating under the assumption that there were still Snow Ninja out looking for them, since even if those last two Snow Ninja reported that they had defeated them, they wouldn't have any bodies to offer up as proof. And even if they did successfully convince their fellows the two Leaf ninjas were dead, there was still bound to be tight security around the castle perimeter.

It was thanks to this thinking and Sasuke's enhanced vision that he saw it and even then he almost missed it entirely. Acting completely on instinct, he tackled Sakura to the ground before she could even blink, holding a finger up to his lips.

At the edge of the forest, his enhanced eyes detected what looked like an outpost, cleverly disguised to look like one of the trees. Upon closer inspection, they discovered it really was a tree, merely hollowed out to allow an observer inside. Around the immediate area of the outpost were a series of jutsu-related traps and even some commonplace trip wire ones. His red eyes detected several chakra signatures but had trouble placing exactly what or where they were, so it stood to reason that there were some type of detection and sensor jutsu in place, not unlike the barrier that surrounded the Hidden Leaf Village.

Getting off each other and whispering back and forth on what to do, they settled on a plan. Sasuke pointed out the closest chakra source while Sakura hid behind a tree, then lightly tossed some food right by it.

A few moments later, a moose started walking over to where she had thrown the food. It walked right over, sniffing around until it found its new treat and began eating. Taking a deep breath, Sakura created a small Faiatama in her hand, then tossed it right at the spot Sasuke had pointed at.

The reaction was instantaneous. The entire area exploded, the explosion knocking the moose back a few feet and on its side. It gave a cry before getting back to its feet and hauling out of there just as a Snow Ninja (which Sakura saw had that Loyalist symbol on his chest) appeared.

She could almost see the gears turning in the man's head. Animals were constantly near the outpost, so some were bound to accidently trigger the defenses prematurely. But what would have brought out the ninja was a chakra signature – in this case Sakura's Faiatama – only to see nothing present to suggest a ninja and seeing a fleeing animal.

Sakura could see the man's indecision as he was clearly trying to sort out what had happened. Had it just been his imagination and merely _thought _he saw a chakra signature, hoping it would be the enemy, or was it the same old story of some stray animal wandering in?

That's when Sasuke appeared right in front of him, Sharingan eyes blazing. Caught both off guard and unprepared, the Loyalist didn't have time to react or mentally prepare himself like Team Alpha did. He was theirs.

In rapid succession, Sasuke fired off question after question after question with their 'willing friend', starting with was anyone else with him. The answer turned out to be no, but he was expected to give a report on the disturbance soon.

Sasuke only had enough chakra to keep the Sharingan on for a few minutes as it was, so in that time, they made the guard explain the defenses around the outpost, how they worked and what was expected of him. It took roughly two minutes for them to get the required information, so they quickly questioned the man about the Castle's defenses. Unfortunately, all they got was a basic map detail and some numbers on the castle personal before Sasuke was forced to use the last bit of chakra to modify the man's memories, making him believe that the disturbance was nothing more than a stray animal.

As the Loyalist made his way back to his post, the two Leaf Genin quickly bypassed the post. Two things were prominent on their minds, the first being that there were nearly a hundred Ninjas stationed there, all of them Loyalists and not all of them being Chunin, on top of Nadare, Fubuki and Mizore.

The second was that they were still very much aware of the fact they were in no condition for a fight.

Between the edge of the forest to the castle proper was about seven kilometers, all of it an open valley with no cover. As a result, Sasuke and Sakura roamed the forest outskirts, trying to think of a way to get to the castle and failing rather miserably. The best plan they had was to wait until they recovered enough to use the Sharingan again, get a more detailed analysis on the castle, then stage some sort of diversion.

Needless to say, they were still trying to come up with a better plan.

"That looks like a road over there," Sakura said, pointing to the only set path from the forest to the castle. "Someone's got to come using it sooner or later. Maybe we can shadow them in."

"We still need to know what's in there if we want to avoid getting caught." Sasuke reminded her. "Maybe we can impersonate some Snow Ninja coming to make a report."

"All they would have to do is question our knowledge about Snow and we're dead," The pink-haired girl stated, wiping her forehead.

"Often the best way to sneak in is to make as much noise as possible."

Both of them jumped nearly a foot into the air at the voice. They spun around as Sasuke got into a defensive stance using Sekken while Sakura hurled two shuriken at the speaker.

Makino calmly caught the projectiles with his pipe, twirling them around like a child. "Now, now, you should be more careful with your toys, Sakura."

"_**MAKINO?" **_The two teenagers blurted out, all sense of secrecy and caution thrown out the window. Who… what… HOW?

The old director smiled as he gave a nod. "The one and only!"

"Prove it," Sasuke said with venom in his voice, his hand reaching for his sword in the kunai holster.

"You both took a nice deep dive in the lake. Imagine this scene! Both of you get out, dripping wet, seeking shelter in a cave. You both realize you're _alone _and need to get out of the waterlogged…"

"SHUT UP!" both teenagers shouted automatically, their faces turning a nice shade of red. It was him, alright…

"But don't you want to hear how it ends? I figured a nice declaration of your innermost feelings would be – " Makino went on, once again lost in his own little world of movie making.

"We're convinced; it's you," Sasuke said, gritting his teeth and wondering if any of Doto's forces would notice an extra body in the woods. "Where have you been, how did you find us, what happened to you guys, where's the rest of the group? Have you seen Naruto anywhere?"

Makino calmly held up his hands. "Slow down, now. You can afford to breathe a little easier now. I'll lead you back to the others."

Still cautious, the two slowly followed the director as he led them back through the edge of the forest. "Alright, first question. During your marvelous battle at the railroads, we caught sight of the incoming storm and realized we had to get out as fast as we could. Since we planned to come to this country, we made sure to familiarize ourselves with it beforehand, so we backtracked to a small village not too far from where we were and waited out the storm there."

As he spoke, both Sasuke and Sakura noticed that as they walked, Makino was seemingly uninterested in what way he was going. That's when they realized that Makino's footsteps didn't leave any impressions in the snow and he expertly avoided any obstacle in his path, from tree branches, to bushes, to even small animal droppings that escaped the shinobi's notice.

"Once the storm was over, we figured you guys would still be going after Doto himself and that our best chance at finding you again would be at his castle, so we headed that way."

Sasuke's hand went back down to his sword. "We never saw you guys. You think we'd miss an onslaught of trucks heading to the castle?"

Makino looked back with an all-knowing smile. "You would if you were avoiding the main road."

The main road? You mean they weren't trying to sneak in at all! Were they nuts?

The movie director saw the look on their faces and smiled. "Yes, we're all certifiably sane. Well, most of us." He gave a quiet chuckle at his own joke. "The thing is, most people in this world won't attack without a reason, even in this country. We're movie producers; that's what people see foremost, and that mean's we're no threat. So we keep our noses clean and don't do anything suspicious: we stay in the open where all can see, with no weapons or intents of hostility and defer to locals. And for the truly unreasonable, money is the universal language… and I have _plenty _of it."

To further prove his statement, they reached a clearing as Makino pushed several branches out of the way, revealing all the movie crew. Kaijo was talking to several people who were manning several pieces of what looked like audio equipment. The actors, Ken, Michy and Hidero were also emerging from the forest from different directions. Makino motioned to where his assistant director was. "That's how we found you. After we waited out the storm, we decided to set up camp hoping to catch you on the way, or at least hear if you went into the castle. We set up mikes all around, turned the receivers on the cameras all the way up and a few other things. We heard that little explosion of yours and I went to check it out; turned out to be you."

Both leaf genin raised their eyebrows at the statement as they glanced downward. Sure enough, there were cords spread out all over the ground (expertly camouflaged) and extending into the forest. That's when Kaijo looked and waved happily as a flood of people immediately came over as Sasuke and Sakura found themselves immersed in the crowd, nearly everyone trying to shake their hands at once, tugging at them and congratulating them all at once.

"You're both alive! Fantastic!"

"I really thought you two bit it for a minute there!"

"You're real heroes, you know that, right?"

"I STILL can't believe you kicked fifty ninja's asses all on your own!"

"_I _never doubted you for a minute!"

"They'll be talking about this for years, NO, _decades_!"

"Cool sword! Where'd you get it?"

"So what happened? Where have you two been all this time?"

After ten aggravating minutes of this, Makino finally managed to get the crowd to back off. Sasuke and Sakura were very much relieved to hear that their packs were still here, so they headed over to the truck and changed out of their battle-weary clothes into fresh ones.

As they headed back into the snowy, bitter coldness outside, they saw the movie crew was packing up all their stuff, clearly getting ready to move out again. They saw that the director was conversing with Kaijo and Makino's face seemed to waver.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked as the two headed over.

The old man looked down at the two. "Kaijo heard some Snow Ninja talking. It seems both Yukie and Naruto are prisoners of Doto."

Like someone had taken a wet rag and slapped them with it, Uchiha and Haruno both whipped backwards. "HOW?"

"We're not entirely sure," Kaijo admitted. "Yuki… _Koyuki-hime_… we're positive on. Doto broadcast his capture of her hours ago to all of Snow, so for now, she's still alive. Naruto's harder, but we caught parts of a conversation between some Yuki-nin about a 'new prisoner' and 'Leaf's trump card', so we're guessing it's Naruto."

Sasuke had to struggle to keep himself from letting out an angry sigh. So Naruto was captured. So was Koyuki. He looked at Sakura and their eyes passed along the same message: they couldn't afford to wait for any reinforcements. They had to get the two out _now _before Doto decided to terminate those two.

Ken noticed the look in their faces and was already shaking his head. "I know what you are thinking, but rushing in won't do any good. A good soldier knows when to plan and wait."

"Only when you have the luxury of time," Sasuke countered, Sakura firmly nodding in agreement. "The longer we leave Naruto and Koyuki in Doto's hands, the more likely he is to just kill them and be done with it."

"That's true, but if we just rush in there, you'll just be adding more deaths. And don't worry, we already have an idea on what to do," Hidero said.

We?

"You guys can't come," Sakura spoke, quickly realizing what they were getting at. "You're not fighters! It'll be suicide for any of you to come!"

"You don't think we know that?" Michy asked, giving her a smile that made the pink-haired girl blush. "Last time we weren't able to help you and had to abandon you. None of us liked that. This time, we _are _in a position to get you inside and help save those two."

The Uchiha heir snorted. "And do what? Ask Doto to pose for the camera? You may have been able to avoid trouble in the countryside with some small villages, but this will be completely different. Doto will cut you all down on principle because you were with Koyuki and us. No amount of talk, puppy eyes or money is going to change that."

Makino smiled. "We know. And that's exactly how we're going to get in."

* * *

**Black Fang Castle**

**6:30 pm**

Tekiya Sankaku gave a yawn as she walked across the battlements of the castle. Samurai manned their stations with foreign pose and interest. Four samurai were assigned to each of the towers, while eight squads of eight samurai patrolled, half on the walls between the towers and half at the base of the walls. Two more squads were stationed at the gate itself. Several Chunin were also stationed among the walls under the command of a Jonin, but unlike the samurai, whose patrols were fixed and visible, the shinobi kept to patterns and times completely random even to their fellow men-at-arms, always concealed in the shadows. Sankaku herself, however, was stationed at the gate itself, with four Chunin under her command.

She was a special Jonin, excelling in uncovering deception. Like her countrymen, she wore her own brand of chakra armor, though one key difference was the visor that rested on top of her head. To her fellows around her, she was often called Doto's Gate, as anyone who wanted to see him had to first come through her.

The actual gate was twofold. The first part of it was two massive steel doors, each weighing over a ton and two meters thick. It was virtually impossible for man – shinobi or otherwise – to open them physically (which was Doto-sama's pure intention) and they had to rely on the mechanisms. The second was a solid steel portcullis that came down right behind the doors to further reinforce them should a siege happen.

Not that it ever did. It had taken six long years to complete the castle and by that time, the remnants of the Saati Koukennin were falling fast, so no one had ever tried to attack the castle directly. One or two did manage to sneak in, but never got far as the San Eihei eliminated intruders quickly enough.

Typically, the gates remained closed and only opened at certain times of the day, most commonly the noon hour with anyone wanting to enter having to do so at those specific times, lest they be forced to wait outside, which Doto-sama often made a point of doing to make sure people complied to _his _schedule.

Her days were sixteen hour shifts. Starting at five in the morning and ending at nine in the evening, to which her junior would take over for the night. It wasn't the worst job out there and most of the time relatively dull. Still, she did take pride in the fact that anyone who wanted to come in first had to deal with her, and that made her feel important.

"Sankaku-san!"

The young Jonin's head jerked up as she immediately began running up the stairs to the battlements ahead. The samurai were all anxious, gripping their weapons tightly. The one that called her pointed off to the distance as she looked.

It was a line of trucks driving right towards them.

The gates weren't scheduled to open and no one had an appointment until the next day as it was. Sankaku didn't bother raising an alarm as the samurai were already alerting each other as it was. Several of them notched arrows onto their bows, while others were keeping an eye out in all directions. She knew some were sending messages to the castle in case there was some fool trying to scale the cliff. The shinobi among them were all waiting in the shadows, watching intently and waiting to strike.

Everyone knew the routine. Everyone was in place. Now came her part. She summoned the four men under her command and waited at the top of the gatehouse. The trucks continued on their way at a leisurely pace. Were they a decoy? Sacrificial lambs loaded with explosives? That was surely what it had to be: some disgruntled Koyuki supporters making a last-ditch effort to save their princess.

She personally had no grudge against the Princess, but her fate was in Doto's hands, not hers. And, she had to confess, she _did _enjoy the Princess Gale movies. Who would have thought their runaway princess was the great actress? Still, it was her job to discover this group's intentions… and if necessary, dispose of them.

The trucks continued on, stopping short of the gate. A door opened and an old man stepped out, wearing a thick tan coat, a brown director's hat and blue sunglasses, carrying a suitcase. He looked up and carefully put the suitcase on the ground before holding up both arms, showing his hands were empty.

Her guard still up, she motioned those in her squad. The four Chunin channeled chakra into their feet and ran down the stone walls. They landed on either side of the gate, two of them looking on fiercely at the old man like hawks would their prey, and the other two keeping an eye open on the truck he came out of. A few seconds later, she joined them down on the ground, snow kicking up all around her as she landed.

"State your business," Sankaku ordered.

The old man walked towards her. "Seeking shelter for the evening, and I'm willing to pay _handsomely _for it and my associates here." He reached into a coat and pulled out a card. "My card."

She took it and looked at the picture… and her jaw dropped at the name. "Makino? _The _Makino? Director of the Princess Gale movies? I saw the last one! That was incredible how Princess Gale stood up to – " She cut off immediately as she could feel the eyes of the shinobi and samurai weighing down on her. Flushed with embarrassment, she quickly recomposed herself. "You're a long way from home. What brings you here?"

"We hoped to use your beautiful country to shoot the next part of our next movie," Makino told her. "That was before we learned the unfortunate premise between our lead actress and your Daimyo."

Sankaku could feel the men and women behind her tense up at the proclamation. The man was admitting to associating with the out-of-favor princess? What was his game? "So you're saying that the Princess has nothing to do with you being here?"

The man threw up his arms in mock surrender. "Alright! You caught me! I _was _hoping to speak with your Daimyo in hopes to coming to some sort of arrangement about our star actress. It would be a shame to lose her and the movies wouldn't be the same without her! And the weather _is _growing colder with the coming night."

Was this man truly stupid? This really couldn't be the same famed director of the movies. Surely they wouldn't be that much of a success if they were directed by this flop of a man. Before she could say anything, Makino reached down and opened the suitcase, showing a large sum of money. "I offer fifty thousand ryo. Straight up… with the promise of _more _to come should you allow us the honor of staying and speaking with the esteemed Kazahana Doto-sama."

Sankaku heard the Chunin whistle behind her at the offer. It was common knowledge that the financial situation was grim in the Snow Country and that Doto-sama was constantly trying to improve in along with his military expansion plans. Thinking it over, she came to a decision. "I will relay your request to Doto-sama, _if _you allow my men here to search your vehicles."

"Naturally, naturally," he said, walking forward carefully and holding out the suitcase for her. "Take this to show our sincerity. Search it all you like. You'll find no trace of foul play."

She looked down at the sum of money and carefully took it. Sankaku lowered her visor over her eyes, a chakra device that allowed her to detect chakra much like a doujutsu. She found nothing. The Loyalist preformed some rudimentary jutsu on the suitcase and detected no trace of poison, explosive notes, genjutsu traps or anything. It seemed he really was serious in what he was saying, if not completely senile for doing this. Satisfied, she closed the case and beckoned her fellow ninja to start the inspection as she ran back up the castle walls for the gatehouse intercom.

* * *

**Five minutes later**

**Black Fang Castle Control Room.**

Doto walked inside the control room of his castle, the central nervous system of his entire castle's security. One wall was covered entirely with monitors, each one showing a different area of the castle. His eyes centered on one of the lower end ones for which he had been called for. Several men sat at a desk operating the entire thing.

The gathering of trucks led by the movie director.

_So you've come. Sooner than I expected, _Doto said to himself, only half hearing the operator.

"… Sankaku reports that the money is genuine and has her men searching the vehicles as we speak. Expected to be finished within half an hour, sir."

This time, Doto wasn't able to keep that sly grin off his face. The lambs were willingly walking into the fox's den, with a sizeable amount of money to make it even more worthwhile. _Oh, highly entertaining, you old fool of a movie director. Very well, I'll play your little game. _

With that, Doto walked over and hit the intercom. "Sankaku. The group is hereby granted permission to enter. Let them in at once. Inform the Director I will speak to him personally later this evening."

"… _sir_?" The surprise in his subordinate's voice was as thick as frosting on a birthday cake.

"You heard me."

"… _sir… with all due respect… I don't trust them. They clearly have some sort of hidden motive. I think they plan to bust the Princess out somehow. If you'll allow me to continue my…"_

"Your concerns are unwarranted," Doto replied. "You will cease your search and allow them inside. _Now." _The iron in that last word was the warning sign to all who served him.

"_Yes, milord." _

With that, he switched the intercom off. Turning to one of the men, he ordered him to alert the kitchens and servants to prepare a sizeable banquet for their unexpected guests.

* * *

**Outside the castle gates.**

Sakura breathed out into her hands, the icy breath visible as she watched the Snow Ninja search Makino's car. She and Sasuke were in the fourth car along with Kaijo. Each of them wore disguises that she desperately prayed _no one _back home would ever see. She still couldn't believe how the director managed to talk them into this.

Makino's plan was to walk right up to the door and ask for lodgings for the night, following back on his earlier statement of 'the best way to sneak in is to make as much noise as possible'. Show the entire group coming, appear to hide nothing. Flaunt the money in their face. The hardest part about rescuing Koyuki and Naruto was actually getting inside the place. Inside, they stood a much better chance of succeeding.

Makino had ordered the two young shinobi to get dressed in disguise as actual disguises were often more effective than henges, even if they did have the chakra to sustain them. The fact that they had so little chakra right now meant they would easily pass for civilians for any Ninja examining them.

The _only _reason they went along with this plan was because Makino's people were going to do this with or without them. They were all highly motivated and eager to help out, and Sasuke and Sakura felt obligated to at least try and keep them all alive. When they pressed the danger on what should happen if Doto found them, Makino merely said they had a trump card ready, to which they translated to 'throwing more money at them', playing Doto's greed.

To Sakura's utter shock, the gates began opening. She wasn't the only one as the Chunin were visibly shocked at the event as well. _You mean this scheme is actually working? _

The same Snow kunoichi walked through the opening doors and beckoned everyone in. "They can't seriously be falling for this," Sasuke said as the car started moving again. "No one is that stupid."

"Oh, we're positive that Doto knows exactly what we're trying to do, just as we know this is a trap for us," Kaijo responded, even as the sweat dripped down the back of his neck. "The trick is which side can do the better pretense and act first."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Sakura asked skeptically.

Kaijo looked down at her. "By playing on what we know and what we don't know. We_ know_ that Doto is letting us in so he can trap us for his schemes, just as _he _knows that we're trying to free Koyuki and Naruto. What he _doesn't _know is how we're going to do that. He doesn't know you two are with us, though I'm sure he suspects it. He also doesn't know how we intend to act. That's our edge."

"But the same is true for him," Sasuke countered. "We don't know what precautions he's taken or plans."

Kaijo gave a nod. "Yes, that's true. And the odds do favor him. However, we have you two on our side." He gave them a smile. "And after what you've accomplished already on this trip, if it's a bet between you and Doto, I'll bet on you two each time."

"It's not Doto I'm worried about," Sasuke said as they started to pass through the gatehouse. "It's those he commands."

* * *

**Seven Kilometers south of Black Fang Castle. **

At the edge of the forest stood a small way station, designed for emergency dispatch and treatment to any lost travelers in the Snow Country. It composed of three small buildings, one of them a clinic, one of them a storehouse and the last one the home to those who ran it. Its normal staff of eight was currently playing host to several dozen Snow Ninja.

"I don't believe it… they're actually entering," Ikusa said as she put the binoculars down. Behind her came many more figures as they all watched the entourage of trucks enter Doto's stronghold.

"They can't be serious," one shinobi spoke this time. "They're actors. Performers. They're going to their deaths."

"And for what? To help some little runaway princess?" another ninja questioned, mirroring the thoughts of those around him.

"Perhaps it's bonds of fellowship," Kiganai hypothesized. _If those two are with them, they must be insane. The Uchiha and the girl can't seriously expect to win this. What drives them? I don't get it. Any Snow Ninja would have seen reason and retreated. _"Maybe they feel they can ransom the princess back. They should have left while they could. A great leap forward often requires two steps back."

"And sometimes all it takes is the will to jump."

Their heads turned towards the speaker: Homare.

The Fuuton User took a step forward as the last of the trucks entered. "Perhaps they decided to jump after all."

* * *

(**Author's Note**) And the chapter is done as we're getting set to the climax of this story! About time, wouldn't you say? ^_^

Once again, I must express my apologies at how late this chapter was in coming. I'm trying to do better at it, I really am. Having no laptop really sucks for my writing schedule, on top of being more busy the last few weeks. Still, I hope this all satisfies you for the time being: Sasuke and Sakura have finally reunited with Makino's group and everyone is at the castle for the final showdowns. I'll show you next time what costume disguises Sasuke and Sakura are wearing, heh heh.

On another note, to any that remember my little schedule outline for this fic back in chapter three, I figure now's as good of a time as any to mention I'm changing it slightly. It's still going to be within the week timeframe and the events here are still going to be in a single day, but chatting with Tellemicus, we've come up with an alternative way for Team 7 getting home in time without all the rushing. Speaking of which, as usual, a big shout out to him for all the help he gave in planning out this chapter.

_Sankaku – armor, helmet and shield _

_Tekiya – stall keeper_

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta reading this!_


	23. Plan of Action

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 23–Plan of Action_

**Castle Outpost**

**7:09 pm **

Muryou Okotaru yawned as he sat in his little home away from home. Or jail cell, which was the far more appropriate term in his opinion. It was _boring_! All he did all day, every day was sit in this little spot and wait for nothing to happen. Sure, he was supposed to be the early warning system in case assassins or whatever tried to get to the castle, except for the obvious fact that there _were _no such individuals anymore. No one in Snow was willing to stand up to Doto-sama, let alone act against him.

At least during the waning days of the Saati Koukennin, things had been somewhat interesting! That was during a time when they _knew _someone was willing to try and act against Doto. And while Okotaru had never directly participated in those skirmishes, his radio gave him the reports and updates that filled the boredom nicely. One of his favorites had been when a group of four Guardians rigged themselves with explosive notes and started taking out Doto's supporters among the local lords. They would sneak in, cause a lot of racket, and then one would go in for the kill while the others kept watch. That one would either succeed, kill the target, and the four would leave in a hurry, or he would fail and then detonate, thus _still _getting his target. It had taken the San Eihei weeks of tracking down those hooligans and seven killed lords before they were finally stopped. But even then it nearly cost Fubuki her life, rendering her hospitalized for two months. It was said that that was what inspired her to get a flight-capable armor so she'd always be able to make a quick gateway.

He sighed at the loss of those far more interesting days. When he first became a Loyalist, he thought he'd get the more exciting jobs! Only for Doto-sama to assign him to Outpost Duty instead. Now the only thing he had to call _interesting _was when animals stupidly came across his sights, like that moose earlier today. Dumb animal… and for a split second, he had actually thought it was a ninja!

Absentmindedly, he reached for his radio and tuned in to the castle. Very faintly he could hear sounds of laughter, music, and chatter. Much to his disbelief, Doto-sama was actually throwing a PARTY for those movie workers! And from the sounds of it, quite of bit of castle personnel were taking advantage of it!

And here he was, stuck on meaningless guard duty against drooling animals! Oh, how exciting!

That was Okotaru's last thought before a kunai sliced his throat open.

**Black Fang Castle, Throne Room **

**Same time**

**Makino**

Amidst the cold, stony room that served as Doto's throne room, the man sat on his throne on high, with two of his Loyalist Ninja guards at the base of it. The aged director merely went about things as though it were a normal day in the office. And in his mind, it was. It was putting up a pretense and dealing with an audience's expectations. He may have had little acting experience personally, but he had been a director long enough to know how to play the game… and how to gauge others' expectations.

And he could do it pretty damn well, if he did say so himself.

"Your niece is an essential part of the Princess Gale movies. Why, one could go as far as to say she _is _the life of the movies herself! Her prestige to your honored clan would only further enhance your own image throughout the world!" Makino said.

He could see Doto's face a mixture of fury and consideration. No doubt he was furious at the thought of Koyuki being related to him or that she was just as good as him, but to say otherwise would be an obvious lie and out of character for someone who had worked alongside the young lady for years. At the same time, using Koyuki to enhance his own standing was something that Doto was perfectly willing to do.

"So you say, but alas, Koyuki is a symbol of the old regime. A sign of times past, and one cannot linger in the past if they wish to succeed. Surely you know that. After all, if you kept the same tired plot in your past movies instead of building off them like you do, they would not have become the blockbusters they are today."

An analogy of his own profession to use against him. Clever. Makino gave a small bow. "Keen insight, Daimyou-sama. Perhaps a reasonable compromise can be reached."

"I'm listening."

Makino gave a gesture around the room. "If you would be willing to allow us to shoot more of the movie in your home country, Koyuki-san could continue to do her work while remaining under your direct supervision." He held up his hands in front of him, like he was prepared to take a picture. "Imagine your beautiful country displayed for all to see: the soft, gentle snow behind the twilight sky in the background. Crystal-like stars flickering in the night like beautiful diamonds. Why, the tourist aspect alone would bring much commerce to you! It would be a big advertising campaign for shinobi clients and business ventures for your splendid country here!"

Doto raised his eyebrow at that. Makino doubted Doto wanted that much publicity on him since he wanted his plans obscured in the dark. But, once again, the prospect of money appealed to his nature. Global attention could also be useful for information and exploitation. To further drive the nail in, Makino reached for his pocket. "An advance on my part for such a beneficial relationship. Let's see…" He took out his checkbook and deliberately tapped his pen against his forehead. "How about eighteen thousand?"

A grin appeared on the man's face. "A generous gesture indeed." The man sat up a little straighter. "But am I truly to believe you are fine with my standing in your movie? I presume you have heard of how I came to power through bloodshed?"

Makino nodded, knowing where this was going. "I have been made… aware."

"Then am I truly to believe you are fine with that? Knowing that your prized actress' father was forcibly… removed from his throne, can you honestly tell me that doesn't affect you at all?"

Put him on edge with the direct truth. Makino put on a gesture of confusion. "Such a high political matter to me? My dear Daimyou-sama, I am but a humble movie director. I am no Daimyou, lord, general or Kage. I am a business man. Such things are beyond me, and neither do I wish to indulge in them. The past is the past and I'm sure you had your reasons. All that I wish for is for your niece to continue her work in our movies, for movies is all I am. Not to dig up and debate the past."

And in its own funny little way, that was all completely true. That honor was reserved for others, not him.

That's when a predatory grin appeared on Doto's face. "Oh really? So you did _not _help bring in three Leaf Ninja to usurp my rule?"

A very dangerous question… and one that Makino had calculated for. The problem was _any _answer given to this man may not be good enough, no matter how convincing it might be. "I can certainly tell the truth when I say it was not _my _idea to do so. That falls to the late Asama Sandayuu. At his request, we hired some ninja to act as bodyguards, as our previous batch was… ineffective, to put it nicely. We were completely in the dark about his plans and intentions. And had I known, I would have put a stop to it. But since he was _my _subordinate and he caused trouble for you, I will accept full responsibility for it and am prepared to compensate you for it, however much it will be." He looked up at the man. "If I may be allowed to say that, in the end, those three youngsters were no match for your forces. While the loss of young life is always regrettable, no one can say it was unjust. They attacked the lawful rulers of this land and were dealt with accordingly."

"So you _didn't _help smuggle them into my castle?" Once again, a direct question that could offer very deadly results.

Makino gave another bow. "I consented to a full search by your ninja in charge. It was _you _that called them off, not me. We were perfectly willing to comply. We have nothing to hide. If such a thing is truly a concern for you, we will willingly submit to any new searches to appease your conscience."

Doto did not answer immediately. He did narrow his eyes as he went into deep thought about what was said. Did he believe Makino? Probably not. But could he prove otherwise? Not just yet. The game was how long the pretenses could be maintained. Doto gaining his money through legit means was certainly tempting for him as underhanded methods could be very much a pain. However, Doto was no fool either, so he would only go along with this for so long before deciding if he needed to take other steps.

The question was, how long would he be willing to wait?

Finally, Doto spoke. "How much can I expect from your movie should I support your venture?"

The director allowed a grin to appear on his face. Things were working out splendidly. Every minute he kept Doto occupied here was another minute the man was _not _looking anywhere else.

**Black Fang Gate**

"They're here!" several voices rang out from the castle battlements. Nadare looked up to see several shinobi and samurai looking down at them and informing their peers of their arrival. Efficiency was always a valued quality.

With Fubuki and Mizore at his side, the three of them ran up the solid stone wall to the top. Not even pausing to greet the guards stationed, the San Eihei calmly jumped down to the ground as the gatekeeper herself came over to greet them. "Welcome back, honored San Eihei."

"Sankaku-san," Nadare replied automatically as the four of them walked forward.

"I trust your search wasn't in vain?" the gatekeeper asked.

"Far from it…" Fubuki started, only for the three of them to a complete stop.

In front of them in the courtyard were a large number of vehicles they didn't recognize. "Sankaku, what are those?" Mizore demanded.

"Trucks, you idiot," Fubuki answered at once, grinning.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN!"

Nadare rolled his eyes as he gestured for the gatekeeper to continue. "A short while ago, the movie producers for the Princess Gale series showed up, asking for shelter for the night. Even offered up a large sum of money for the effort."

All three of the Jonin froze on the spot. "… say that again…" Fubuki demanded, mirroring her teammates' thoughts.

Sankaku complied. "The movie producers for the Princess Gale movies are here."

Mizore exploded. "WHAT? They're _here_? Are you all _nuts_! They're clearly attempting to break out Koyuki and the Kyuubi!"

"Doto-sama approved it…" Sankaku stated quickly.

Mizore started stumbling over his own words as he tried to comprehend that statement. Fubuki just put her hand to her forehead. As the Profiteer started to protest again, Nadare cut him off with a gesture. "Tell me… did Doto tell you to forgo any inspections?"

Sankaku looked surprised. "Yes… he did. I even protested the same objections as Mizore-san and Doto-sama told me my concerns were unwarranted."

A smile appeared on Nadare's face. "I see. Allow the lambs to walk into the fox's den, eh?" He glanced back at his two teammates. "Let's carry on; we need not worry about these matters."

"What?" both of them uttered.

_Simpletons, _Nadare thought to himself. "Doto-sama clearly has the situation under control. Now…" He turned back to the castle proper. "Let's go… _shopping._"

**Black Fang Castle, Grand Hall**

**Fifteen minutes later**

The oak doors opened to allow Makino to enter. The grand hall was normally so deprived of usage that it was joked amongst the castle personnel that it was the gathering place for ghosts of Sousetsu and his servants. Tonight, however, it was brightly lit with roaring fires all alongside one side of the walls. Several long oak tables spanned the middle of the room, each one crammed with people feasting and enjoying themselves. At first, it was just the movie crew that was eating, with the walls lined with samurai and ninja looming over.

The movie crew numbered several hundred, so Doto was inclined to 'honor' the crew by having two hundred samurai be with them, insisting that they would be poor hosts if they didn't have an appropriate number to _assist _them. The Samurai had come in normal, comfortable clothes, ditching their armor, but everyone could see their katanas still strapped at their sides. In addition, three dozen shinobi were assigned as 'watchers' to make sure no 'fights' broke out, eight of them Jonin. So far, the banquet had been going on for nearly forty minutes.

Within the first ten minutes, the samurai and ninja were enjoying themselves just as much.

At the urging of the visitors, they slowly began mingling. They began accepting offers of food, sharing the wine and sake that was being served. Several of the guests even got up and offered their seats to their 'hosts', to which some of them awkwardly accepted. Pretty soon, the entire area was enjoying themselves. People were putting blankets or tablecloths on the ground to accommodate those standing. Jokes were tossed back and forth, resulting in laughter from both sides. Instruments were being played in all corners. Several of the actors and performers began putting on old skits in one corner of the room, much to the delight of the samurai. In another, Kaijo had set up a makeshift screen with a sheet and was showing clips of the next movie that had been compiled so far, which was proving quite popular with the shinobi in the room as they would cheer at moments of victory, cry at saddening departures such as Shishimaru's death scene, booing at the villain, and marveling at the special effects.

Several shinobi even started performing themselves, using their ninjutsu as amateurish magic tricks, and since most of the movie crew weren't used to ninja as it was, they enjoyed the fake-outs, tricks and turnabouts just as much as the Snow personnel were enjoying the movie crew's antics. Even the servants bringing in the food and drink soon gained small smiles on their faces from all the fun going around.

And of course, several cameras were set up to immortalize such a festive bonding experience.

_"The thing is, most people in this world won't attack without a reason, even in this country. We're movie producers; that's what people see foremost, and that means we're no threat. So we keep our noses clean and don't do anything suspicious: we stay in the open where all can see, with no weapons or intents of hostility, and defer to locals. And for the truly unreasonable, money is the universal language… and I have plenty of it."_

That wasn't to say the festive mood was _entirely _set. Many of the senior members of the samurai, being pure professionals, stayed at their stations, watching things like overbearing hawks (though a few did drum their fingers against their arms at the music playing). Likewise, while the Jonins allowed their Chunin members to indulge, they did not. They walked through the crowds of people, mimicking the appearance of stone gargoyles ready to swoop in. _Armored _gargoyles.

The movie crew had their own hidden agendas as well. They would casually switch cups around, giving stronger dosages to their hosts, stuffing the ninja with as much food as possible. Some of the ninja even began nodding off from all the festivities.

In one part of the room was a gathering of animals that represented mythology from another country across the sea, referred to as a 'zodiac'. Each animal was a full body suit, with a hole to allow their faces to shine through covered with thick makeup. They would perform a small skit that involved the animals divided into two warring factions, one led by a Tiger and the other a Dragon. The pig and rooster served as the scapegoats and were constantly getting batted around in order to serve the greater needs, resulting in having to work together to accomplish their tasks, eventually leading the two sides to end hostilities.

By joining together and bossing around the pig and rooster in joint tasks.

At the end of the third of these performances, the rooster and pig waddled off to one corner of the room at Makino's beckon while the samurai and ninja applauded. As they settled for a breather, several of the movie crew just happened to get around them, concealing them, while at the same time the music numbers increased, making it harder to hear.

The rooster reached up and took off its head, revealing a raven-haired shinobi. He had thick golden makeup smeared all over his face with white eyeliner. "I swear… if I have to do _one more _of those stupid skits…"

"Stop whining," the pig replied, taking off its head to reveal a pink-haired girl. Her face was a mixture of red and pink makeup expertly complimenting each other all over. "I don't like this any more than you do. At least you weren't the rat. Chicken isn't _that _bad." _I'll never be able to call Ino a pig again…_

"I'm a _rooster,_" Sasuke uttered, annoyed. He was in no way EVER going to be associated with a chicken. He was going to scrape out whatever dignity he could retain in this.

The disguises, like everything else, had been _that bastard's _suggestion. The idea was to hide in plain sight. With the costumes, they could hide most of their physique from prying eyes, as well as remain in their shinobi clothes for when they were ready to act. A little 'padding' to the suits to make them seem bigger than they actually were and tons of makeup were applied that nearly obscured their faces to anyone that didn't readily know them. All the more so when the ninja would be looking for chakra signatures indicating a Henge or other tricks, not party costumes. Makino had insisted the play cover would work since their roles were ones of servitude; they were always _told _what to do and merely had to act accordingly.

"Now, now. The Tiger and Dragon were the lead roles, you two wouldn't have a clue what to do as them," Makino said, leaning on the wall next to them. "You shouldn't be so critical on the lesser members of the Zodiac. It's not just the strongest like the Tiger or the Dragon that matter; each of them are unique and with their own merits. The rooster exhibits qualities of being acute, neat, organized, self-assured, and decisive. They are among the group that are considered geniuses in the art of meticulous planning. The pig is honest, gallant, sturdy, sociable, peace-loving, patient and loyal. The pigs are part of the group associated as the fine artists in their love-making." He gave a huge exaggerated wink at the two. "Sound like anyone you two know?"

Both Konoha nin just mentally grumbled to themselves about that. Sasuke recovered first. "Even if we were to accept all that rubbish, even if we couldn't be a tiger or dragon, why couldn't we be something a _little _more dignified, like a horse or a dog?"

"Because this way was a whole lot more fun for me," Makino announced, positively beaming as he chuckled lightly behind his hand.

A vein narrowly popped in Sasuke's forehead. _I'M GONNA KILL YOU!_

At that moment, Ken made his way through the human wall obscuring the group. The actor gave a nod to the director, who returned it. "Alright, on to business. We've got Doto and his men distracted for now. And thanks to Ken, we've got the next piece we need."

Ken reached into his coat and pulled out a napkin. Scribbled on it was a diagram of the castle and the surrounding installations. "We've got a map now."

It took both genin several long moments to recover their voices. "How did you get something like that so easily?" Sakura managed to choke out.

"One doesn't have to be a shinobi to know a few skills," Ken told her. "Before becoming an actor, I was part of the Fire Daimyou's personal guard. I served as a lookout along the border. I learned quite a bit of intelligence work in my duties… especially during times when I had to… _venture _across the border to learn things."

"You were a _spy_?" Sasuke asked.

"I prefer the term _foreign scout,_" Ken replied smoothly.

"… and you were allowed to leave the service?" Sakura asked, eyebrow rising in suspicion.

"Let's just say it was a bumpy road. But that's not important. What is important is that I learned how to get information even from the vaguest of sources." He waved a hand around. "Take a look around. People happy, engaging in conversation, their guards lowered. Including people that _work _here."

Sasuke was hoping he didn't hear that right. "Are you honestly telling us that the shinobi just willingly told you what the layout was like?"

Ken shook a finger at the raven-haired boy. "Of course not. It was just casual conversation and even that is useful. 'Down the hall', 'stables on the right', 'other side of the castle'. Get enough and even simple statements like these will allow you to complete a picture." He beckoned at the conversing production crew. "And we have a _lot _of casual conversation going on."

Sasuke breathed out as he took the napkin. This, combined with the information they gained from the ambushed Loyalist, gave them very fine details about the place. For one, their map was nearly perfect. They now knew the location of the prisons underneath the palace.

"Now for some numbers," Ken went on. "You two confirmed that there were about a hundred Loyalist ninja gathered here, so we have a third of their ninja preoccupied. We've also learned that there are approximately seven hundred samurai here and Doto has generously stationed two sevenths of them in this very room."

"What about the servants?" Makino asked. "They often watch and hear things more accurately than soldiers."

"That's harder to determine," Ken admitted. "All we've gotten is 'a few dozen', but given the number of personnel we have confirmed with the samurai and ninja alone, I imagine they would have to number close to five hundred."

"We'll just have to deal with it," Makino said, giving a small sigh. "We've got a lot of focus on us in the room here like we wanted, so the rest of the castle's security is that much weaker. Still, they'd be fools to not account for that, but we're in no position to turn down what advantages we can get."

"Then me and Sakura need to get started," Sasuke said, with his teammate giving a nod.

Ken already held out a hand. "In a moment. I think I found something that might give you two the helping hand you need." He reached into his coat again and pulled out a handful of brown pills. Sakura thought they looked vaguely like soldier pills, but they were more angular than the ones she had seen before.

"Soldier pills?" Sasuke asked.

"Something like that," Ken said, looking pleased with himself. "I managed to _pickpocket _these little babies. I didn't catch their official name, but from what I'm told, it's a more refined version of the soldier pills. If you take one, you'll recover enough chakra and stamina to allow you to fight at full strength for days. Though the downside is once it wears off… well… it's not going to be all so pleasant…"

Sasuke and Sakura looked at the pills in his hand, knowing that if what he said was true, then that could be the answer to their prayers. True, they still couldn't take on all the castle personnel alone, but at least they would have a fighting chance. Still, neither one took them. Ken just admitted that he had pickpocketed them and casual conversation was not enough to guarantee what he said they were. They could be just some local drugs. Both of them looked at each other, wondering if they dared to try them.

Ken saw the look in their eyes and reached out for a pill himself… only to be beaten by Makino who swallowed it without the least bit of hesitation, much to Sasuke, Sakura AND Ken's utter shock.

"Hmm…" Makino said looking in thought. "Coffee flavored. Imagine that… though with a touch of mint and maple in it." He smacked his lips a couple of times. "Concentrations of kingsfoil in it, which helps ease the muscles for the rapid energy boost… some aspects of shimmerweed… that helps speed up the chakra process a bit more than the typical soldier pill… oh… a blended mixture from the silmaril tree… that's the tree that makes those chakra papers to test one's affinity and…"

"Director, we really don't have time for this," Ken interrupted, looking at the pills in his hands. His eyes scanned the crowds and so far, their human wall was still working.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. Got carried away," he insisted casually. He looked back at the two teenagers and gave them a nod. "They're safe for you."

Neither Sakura nor Sasuke were able to utter a reply, but they divided Ken's pills between them. Taking one last look at each other, they popped them down their throats.

The effects were instantaneous. They could feel their chakra levels rapidly restoring themselves to their full potential. Their tired muscles began loosening up, their senses returning to their prime, their heartbeats losing their anxiety. Both teens looked over themselves, marveling in what they were experiencing. "Incredible…" Sasuke said softly to himself, opening and closing his hands.

"I haven't felt this good since we got on the boat," Sakura added.

Makino gave a nod. "Are you both ready then?"

"I am," Sasuke answered quickly as he looked at his female teammate. "You?"

"As ready as I'm going to be." With that, she reached inside her costume and pulled out a few bags of what looked like black pepper.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Sasuke asked.

The others could see the same question was mirrored in the girl's own eyes. "As sure as I can be. Shizune covered this and a few other poisons in her introductory. I'm certain I got the composition right, it's just not as powerful as later ones she was going to show us. This will be quick acting, easy for the eye to glance over. Anyone who takes this will be out of commission for the rest of the night and suffer damage to their motor skills on the off chance they do wake up."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Shizune? When did Sakura ever meet with Shizune? Wasn't she teaching those Combat Life Saver classes? Before he could inquire further, Makino reached out and took the bag from the girl. "_This _is what you're going to use? Sorry, young lady," he said, putting it in his jacket. "Far too amateurish."

Sakura's face flushed a little, that familiar angry gaze in her eyes returning. In a harsh whisper, she said, "So I'm amateur… big deal… it's all we've got and we need every…" That's when Makino shoved another bag in her face, this one seemingly empty. "… advantage…?"

"Use this. It'll be far more effective," the director told her. "It's a _powerful_ sleeping potion. A tiny lick on any of these little babies will make a grown man sleep for a week. These you can barely see at all and the best part is that it's made of all natural ingredients that'll disappear in a few short hours after ingestion. This will make those ninja and samurai appear more natural since they'll appear to just be passing out from the excitement, rather than like people being conked on the head like your poison will do. Plus, it'll be on the safe side should any of our crew get the cups by mistake."

Sakura's jaw just lowered. Sasuke's guard went up. Acting swiftly, he flashed the Sharingan for a few seconds and looked at Makino hard…

… and detected no deception at all. No genjutsu, seal or anything…

Makino just seemed oblivious to Sasuke's venture as he looked at Ken, who gave a nod. He slowly walked backwards, mixing back into the human wall. Across the room, Michy got the message as he and Hidero walked towards the middle of the room, pulling out some sticks between them. At the same time, two more of the movie crew slowly stepped back towards the trio. "Now, time for the next part: our two volunteers will take your places in the skit. With their build, they'll match you perfectly. No one will ever notice you two switched out. Henge yourself and make your way out, putting as many as you can. Henges won't fool ninja for long, but that doesn't mean they'll fail immediately. So…" he trailed off when he realized that the two ninja were just staring at him, their mouths hanging open. "What…? Something wrong?"

_He laughed. He then went on and started telling them a story. Five years ago, he was making a movie and caught a certain man doing some very naughty and highly embarrassing things on film. That man had actually sent Jounin-level assassins after Makino, who only managed to live due to his own 'skill' and 'luck.' Makino had then sent the man the following message: that if anything happened to him, certain footage would be released to the public immediately. But if nothing happened to him, most of the footage might never see the light of day. The man had called off the assassins the very next day._

_Makino claimed that this man was the current Raikage himself._

"Blackmailing a Kage… outmaneuvering Jonin assassins…" Sasuke started.

_Both of them jumped nearly a foot into the air at the voice. They spun around as Sasuke got into a defensive stance using Sekken while Sakura hurled two shuriken at the speaker._

_Makino calmly caught the projectiles with his pipe, twirling them around like a child. "Now, now, you should be more careful with your toys, Sakura."_

_As he spoke, both Sasuke and Sakura noticed that as they walked, Makino was seemingly uninterested in what way he was going. That's when they realized that Makino's footsteps didn't leave any impressions in the snow and he expertly avoided any obstacle in his path, from tree branches, to bushes, to even small animal droppings that escaped the shinobi's notice._

"Expertly catching my shuriken with a pipe… no footprints in the snow…" Sakura continued the list. "_You_ planned this operation like a military general… you have professional experience with soldier pills… and even poisons and sleep potions…"

"No amount of _civilian_ experience would give you these 'skills' and 'luck,'" Sasuke said, finishing up. This guy was making _Kakashi's _repertoire look obsolete! "Who ARE you?"

At that Makino merely chuckled under his breath as he lowered his hat over his eyes, while at the same moment, Michy and Hidero put the sticks on fire, juggling them back and forth.

"Who am I, you ask? Perhaps you're expecting some grand revelation. There is_ no _great mystery, no special origins, no deep secret. I am who I've always been: Makino, director of the successful Princess Gale film series. I had parents like everyone, went to school, pursued a career. I have never had instruction from a shinobi and rarely interact with them. Now, you have about three minutes to do your work and get out of this room, thirty seconds of which you'll need to change with the people behind you. You have a princess and a friend to save and a dictator to bring down, so Godspeed to you both."

**8:00 pm**

**Black Fang Castle Control Room**

Doto was NOT happy.

He stood behind the four shinobi working on his security systems. Three of them sat at the control system, their eyes glued to the screens. Two of these Chunin were entirely focused on the little 'party' going on in the Grand Hall (one of the party, the other watching the exits). The third one was constantly flipping through the hallway corridors just in case someone had made it out. But of course, without a detailed knowledge of his castle's layout, anyone who did manage to get out would have been caught quickly. Still… just in case, this man was watching.

The fourth and final one was monitoring the equipment itself, making sure nothing broke down or had been tampered with. He was also in charge of the radio to alert any guards of intrusions. It was all perfect, everything working as it should be…

… _EXCEPT NOTHING WAS HAPPENING! _

Doto was a patient man. He would not have come to power otherwise. He could wait years if need be to accomplish his goals. But a key part to his patience was his ability to monitor and outmaneuver his opposition… and in this case, nothing seemed suspicious. Nothing seemed out of place! Everything was going _exactly _like the old man had said…

That old man could NOT have possibly been telling the truth! He was most definitely helping the last two brats!

So why hadn't they found anything out?

This was frustrating! What was their plan? He had been _certain _that the movie crew had smuggled in the last two Leaf Ninja. Had he been wrong? Were they just a decoy? Were the two kids coming a different way while this old wrinkled bastard kept him occupied? Even if that was the case, they wouldn't be stupid enough to come to his castle without information, which they would have to be _inside _to get in from the outside! It was like one of those stupid zen riddles!

"Have the outposts reported any disturbances?" Doto asked the Chunin in charge of the communications.

"Nothing, Doto-sama," the ninja replied.

Doto clenched his teeth in anger as he slammed his fist on the table. He had expected the ruse to be blown within the first fifteen minutes.

This had been going on for nearly _NINETY MINUTES! _

Calming himself, he turned back to the screens monitoring the party in the grand hall. His eyes looked over the ninja and samurai that were merely playing along, many of them sleeping on the ground. He expected this to happen, which is why he assigned men who would be easily swayed by the events. He had done this for two reasons: The first was to make as much racket as possible and 'accidently' blow any disguises – chakra-implanted or otherwise – and expose the two children. The second was because the _real _eyes were watching from this room and the troops surrounding the grand hall.

His mind drifted towards his own contingency plan. One of the Snow Village's secret jutsu was Zettai Hitoku. Absolute Concealment. With it, they had planted exploding tags in anything from the walls to the dishes the fools were using in the grand hall. They were virtually _impossible _to detect, and even harder to plant them. Even the legendary Rinnegan, if it ever truly existed, wouldn't be able to pinpoint any of these sleeping bombs. Whether you were planting them or extracting them, you had to know the jutsu _exactly. _You couldn't be off by so much as an ant's whisker.

And he could detonate them any time he wished and the most that it would cost him was a ruined grand hallway, which he barely used anyway. And if any of his forces also got caught in the blasts… well, it would be their own faults, wouldn't it? That was what you got for relaxing your guard around the enemy. They would be able to avoid it if they kept their wits about them.

As much as he wanted to just blow them now and be done with it, it wouldn't help. He had to find out where those last two brats were. His eyes darted over to the cells holding his niece and the Kyuubi brat. Both were still accounted for.

Looking at them gave him another thought. Maybe he should put some _pressure _on the group. Force them to act rather than giving them time. What if he announced Koyuki's immediate execution? That would surely draw out the Leaf Ninja, exploiting their loyalty and bonds they so loved to preach about. He then frowned. If he did that, he would be forced to act on it, and he wasn't quite done with the girl yet. And depending on these two, they _might _view their teammate more valuable than their client and let the girl die so they could get the boy… all the more so given he was the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the most powerful of the Bijuu! Clearly the Leaf Ninja would value the demon more so than a commonplace princess, and rightly so.

What of the Kyuubi boy himself? Announcing _his _execution would be a more natural move. And his teammates didn't know he'd uncovered the blond brat's little secret, so they would be hard pressed to come, whether they liked it or not. And his would be easier to handle than his niece's… and easier to fake. Although… he wasn't keen on the idea of letting the freak out of its cage. He was probably waiting for such an opening to make an escape attempt; and from the boy's record that he heard from Orochimaru, that was an opening Doto wasn't willing to give. True, he had the chakra restraint device on him, but he hadn't yet broken the boy's spirit. He would _not _make the mistake of underestimating him, unlike other fools.

Koyuki or Kyuubi? Princess or Demon? He couldn't take too much time on his decision. He looked at the screens once again. _Thirty minutes,_ he decided. He would ponder it and be ready within thirty minutes. In the meantime… "What is Akufu's status?"

The man reached for the radio and contacted the old woman in her lab. "She's studying the seal on the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, sir. Apparently this Four Element Seal is far more complex than she suspected and it's taking a lot of time to fully comprehend it."

"Tell her to take a break and _visit _our guests in the Grand Hall."

"Hai, Doto-sama."

The San Eihei were still busy with their business, so Akufu would be the next best choice. Having her appear in the room would put that bastard's little group even more on edge… and Akufu wouldn't be very kind as she ventured around sniffing for trouble.

As he was about to leave, his eyes glanced once more at the many screens. Specifically one of the centermost ones. He watched the white-haired, old wrinkled bastard giving a toast for the entire hall about the partnership of the two groups and their joint ventures in the future as the entire room gave a cheer.

The man was good. _Too _good. There was far too much cunning in that old fossil. For the briefest moment, he wondered if he might really be…

At that he shook his head. No, it was stupid. That man was dead. Dead to a fluke accident that still pissed Nadare off. It couldn't be the Copy Nin.

"When the shit hits the fan," Doto said to himself as he walked out. "I'm taking _you _out first, you old fool."

Only thirty minutes to go…

**Palace Grounds**

**Six minutes later…**

**Sasuke and Sakura**

Sticking to the shadows of the blacksmith to the best of their stealth abilities, both Genin quickly moved along the edge, trying to avoid any prying eyes. Sasuke peeked around the corner, his Sharingan flashing to life. He held up a fist, freezing Sakura's slow advance behind him, as he watched the men move about… then motioned the pink-haired girl to continue.

Without a word, Sakura headed around the corner with Sasuke closely following her, trusting her to watch their front as she trusted him to watch their backs as they headed to one of the stables.

This was perhaps the hardest part of the plan: planting traps around key facilities of the castle.

After their switch with their doubles in the little skit, Michy and Hidero providing an ample sight to be watched, they henged and managed to sneak through the applauding crowd. As they made their way out, they managed to plant Makino's sleep potion into many of the ninja and samurai's drinks, though as it stood, many of those were already ready to pass out from the strong drinks they had been taking as it was, but the genin weren't complaining.

Makino had timed their departure perfectly as another round of servants entered the room to bring new food and drink as well as clear out old dishes. Having to rely on their own skills to successfully get out of the room, they grabbed some empty cups and plates and re-Henged themselves into servants, trailing the real ones as they left the room, counting on the fact that due to the manic atmosphere, none of the servants or shinobi outside would notice two more servants leaving.

As they trailed the chatting men and women to the kitchen, Sasuke and Sakura were mentally memorizing the route they were going and comparing it to the map that Ken had managed to put together.

The plan was for them to leave through the kitchen exit rather than the main one. They were counting on the fact that Doto's forces would play on the genins' ignorance of not knowing this route. Once there, they would make their way around the castle and plant what remaining explosive notes they had left. As such, they prioritized their targets. The foremost areas were the gathered enemies in the grand hall, to neutralize as many as possible, and the armory, where much of the castle's weapons were stored, and blow it to hell.

The second priority targets were the blacksmith, the landing pad, the two stables, and finally, assuming everything went well, sneak into the samurai quarters and try neutralizing as many as possible that were still in there. From what sketchy information they had, that was about a quarter of them.

They would exit through the kitchen and proceed in a clockwise fashion, hitting each building as they went along and ultimately making their way to the armory. Unfortunately, they had no idea what security was like out here. For one thing, they ended up avoiding the landing pad for Doto's blimp altogether due to the number of ninja and samurai still on guard around it. The blacksmith was very lightly guarded, much to their surprise, and succeeded in planting several explosive notes on it. And now they were making their way to the first of the stables.

Doing another quick Sharingan scan, the Uchiha gave the girl a nod as she went in, while he stationed himself in the shadows, watching and looking. The animals quickly noticed the girl sneaking in and she froze on the spot. Several seconds passed with only the sound of Sakura's heart thumping against her chest.

Finally, the animals seemed to lose interest. Moving carefully, Sakura began untying them, slightly opening the stalls while she planted some more explosive notes; not on structural points, but in areas that would spook the animals and make them run into the courtyard, requiring the personnel available to deal with them.

Hearing a rapid knock behind her, Sakura turned to see Sasuke's hand beckoning her to come back. Nodding to herself in understanding, she made her way back to the entrance, pausing only long enough to plant one more bomb on the door.

**Two minutes later**

**Black Fang Castle Control Room**

Fukurou had to rub his eyes as he looked away from the screens. He had been doing nothing but stare at these damn things for what felt like days, but in reality it had only been a few brief hours.

He was beginning to wonder if Doto had been wrong. It wouldn't be the first time the man had done something wrong; he _was _only human, after all. Plus it made more sense for these movie people to be trying what the old director claimed: Just trying to reclaim their prized actress rather than some big breakout.

Absentmindedly, he turned to another monitor and rewound it to an earlier point, looking over that little animal skit again. He found it pretty fun to watch and even chuckled at several points, especially when that chicken and pig were constantly kicked around and…

… wait a second…

He paused the screen at once. Turning a few more controls, he zoomed in on the faces of the two animals. The makeup on their faces was professional as ever but something was off… and he couldn't place it. Turning to another monitor, he pulled up an earlier performance. Pausing it, he focused in on the chicken and pig once more.

They weren't the same.

They were remarkably close, but there were subtle differences. The dimensions of these individuals were off. The first pair was more plump and roundabout; the second was slightly more rigid and lean, especially on their faces once you were able to look past the heavy makeup.

Instantly on guard, he alerted the other three to what he found. Just as he did, they instantly went from bored observers to careful analyzers. Noting the time stamp, they began re-watching the screens from that time point onward. Fukurou's eyes darted over the screen, now giving the task one hundred and ten percent of his attention, since if what he suspected was true… then he was going to be in _very _deep shit here. He continued watching, noticing the servants going out and got a sinking feeling in his stomach. As they left, he counted them off. Thirty-eight total.

Rewinding the video to when they entered, he counted them again: Thirty-_six. _

His eyes went wide at the revelation. A second later, someone else called out that they found something. Looking at the kitchen camera, the man had frozen a split screen frame.

A flash of pink hair.

"Uh oh…" the four ninja said together, realizing exactly what this meant.

**Black Fang Castle Square**

**Sasuke**

Sasuke and Sakura quietly crept across the castle square. This was the area they were most worried about since there was no cover out here, but using a combination of Henges and the coming darkness of night, they were reasonably confident they would be able to get across undetected. All the more so when it was just samurai they needed to trick.

It was times like this that Sasuke wished Naruto was with them. He was the real stealth expert among the group and his prankster mind would have been a real asset in all these sabotage efforts. Still, if all went well, they'd be able to break Naruto and Koyuki out of the prison cells and…

He stopped in mid-thought as he looked again at the guards present. The samurai guarding the palace doors were suddenly moving. They appeared to just be a guard change and he almost dismissed it. What stopped him from doing so was the fact he suddenly noticed many other guards moving now. Guards on the wall were now looking _inward _to the castle rather than glancing outward as they had been doing. Some were also making their way to the stables and blacksmith.

Picking up his pace slightly, he got side by side with his teammate. "They know," he whispered into her ear.

The girl's eyes shot open wide, but to her credit she managed to keep herself from frantically looking around. Resorting to slight turns of her head to look at things from the corner and confirmed what Sasuke suspected. She didn't look sad, start shaking, or go pale.

She just nodded.

The samurai were marching towards them, nearly twenty of them. Knowing he only had seconds, he whispered to Sakura what to do next. He didn't add to the fact that they were only _half _done with their efforts, and with the enemy now aware of their presence, how things were going to end. "Let's go out with a bang."

"I've got no regrets," the girl responded, giving him a slight smile. "I'm glad to have met you, Uchiha Sasuke."

"The honor is mine, Haruno Sakura."

The samurai continued marching towards their direction, actively reaching for their weapons and throwing 'pretense' out the window. Several other groups were almost at the other buildings as they both began forming seals.

"NOW!"

Dropping both the Henges at the same time, Sakura spun around towards the incoming men. "Haruno Sakura no Jutsu!"

The samurai suddenly found themselves immersed in a field of cherry trees in full bloom. The fragrance of the 'flowers' calmed them immensely, causing them to loosen their grips on their weapons. At the same instance, Sasuke turned in the direction of the armory and shouted "Katon: Karyuu Kyuuzou!"

The fire dragon erupted from his mouth and hit the southwestern portion of the armory. It must have hit some stored bombs because it exploded in a violent fury, illuminating the immediate area and nearly shattering peoples' eardrums. The snow around the building was either blown away from the force of the explosion or simply evaporated, revealing the gray earth underneath. When it started to clear, the armory was still mostly intact, but now sporting a large ugly hole on its side.

Snow's reactions were immediate. Publicly abandoning pretenses, spotlights switched on, landing on the two Konoha shinobi. Samurai and ninja from the eastern and western sides immediately began running towards them, while the ones heading to the buildings picked up their pace right as Sakura and Sasuke went back to back, each of them making the Tiger handseal.

Throughout Doto's fortress, a series of more explosions followed. The blacksmith exploded in a smaller, but no less brilliant explosion. The stable doors were flung wide open as it began collapsing. The animals within it were running out like mad and scattering all over the place. Several of the men that had been close enough to the buildings to disarm the bombs were blown into the air, flailing around like ragdolls as they crashed back to the ground.

From the barracks, more and more Samurai were flooding out from the building towards the disturbances. Many began heading to the three attacked buildings, pulling out hoses and trying to contain the fires while others attempted to round up the panicking animals and get them back under control. The shinobi themselves started running towards the two genin, who were heading towards the palace doors themselves, running down the hypnotized samurai, knocking them down like a bowler who just got a strike.

Sasuke and Sakura brought their hands together, each of them forming the Faiatama and merging them, with Sasuke controlling the Katon aspects and Sakura using her top-notch quality chakra control to stabilize it. It grew large, nearly four times its standard size and power. Together, they threw their arms back and then flung the giant Faiatama at the palace doors, blowing them apart.

Smirking to themselves, they ran inside with several Snow Ninja in hot pursuit.

**Black Fang Castle Control Room**

"_YOU IDIOTS!" _Doto's voice rang through the control room speaker. "_HOW COULD YOU MISS THEM FOR THIS LONG? ACTIVATE THE EXPLOSIVES!" _When no reply came, he shouted again. "_DID YOU NOT HEAR ME? I SAID BLOW THAT DIRECTOR AND HIS LITTLE PARTY TO HELL!" _Nothing came again and the man's anger was almost visible. "_YOU WORTHLESS PEONS, YOU BETTER DO IT NOW OR I WILL RIP YOUR SKULLS FROM YOUR HEADS!" _No response came again. "_YOU __**BETTER **__ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW OR – " _At this moment, Fukurou's lifeless body landed on the control panel, blood spilling all over the controls and drowning out Doto's raging voice.

In the room, the other three shinobi were equally dead, two of them just as broken as Fukurou, the last of them being held in the air with a large hole in his chest. After several seconds, the corpse dropped to the floor as a fifth figure grinned to himself, walking to the control panel and licking his lips.

"My apologies, Doto-_sama ,_" Bakeru said, his form shifting again to Fukurou as he took a seat. "It's nothing personal, but I…" He rubbed his throat a few times. "… need a little more _chaos_," Bakeru finished, now speaking in Fukurou's voice perfectly.

Turning off the speaker to Doto, the shapeshifter looked at the cameras showing the two genin running down the hallways. He flipped a switch to another channel. "Team Zeta. There is a disturbance in the north wing of the castle. Investigate at once."

"_Got it, Fukurou-san," _came a reply.

Flipping to another channel, he spoke again. "Team Theta, the intruders are heading to the east side towards Doto's personal chambers. You must intercept them!" He switched to another channel. "Team Epsilon, the genin are heading to the Warlord's chambers…"

**Cell Block**

Koyuki looked around in curiosity. Nothing seemed to be happening, but she could have sworn that she heard an explosion earlier and the area did seem to shake slightly. Had something happened?

As if to answer her silent questions, two Snow Shinobi came running down the hallway towards their cells. When they saw she was still in her cell, they looked relieved.

Until they turned around and saw their other prisoner lying on the ground.

"What happened?" one of them asked her immediately.

Koyuki gave an indifferent shrug. "With him? He managed to break out of the chain earlier and tried to escape. He just kept ramming the bars over and over despite them zapping him every time. Just shows why fools who don't give up are true idiots. He hasn't moved in over an hour."

The two shinobi paled immediately and Koyuki knew why. She could just imagine Doto's reaction to hearing his prized 'weapon' suddenly died and these two would pay with their lives if it was true. They ripped off the paper seal on the lock and opened the cell, running inside to examine the boy.

And that's when Naruto snapped his head around, a predatory grin on his face that would had made the Kyuubi proud.

Two seconds later – one second per shinobi – the two guards were sprawled down on the floor seeing stars as Naruto got up, casually wiping the dust from his jacket. "NEVER underestimate a ninja! Especially _**ME!**_"

Despite herself, Koyuki couldn't help but give a small smile.

The boy knelt down and took one of the ninja's kunai pouches, strapping it to his leg. Walking out of his cell, he examined the lock to Koyuki's door.

"You'll need this."

Both of them whipped their heads around as a golden key landed at Naruto's feet. Standing not five meters away was a _third _Snow Shinobi. He looked like any other Chunin-level Snow Ninja, though they noticed the silver insignia that labeled him as a Loyalist.

"What's your game?" Naruto asked suspicious, casually glancing down at the key then the man.

"There's no trick on that key if that's what you're asking," the Snow nin insisted, holding his hands in the air showing that they were empty. "If you like, I can do it for you with you watching me."

Koyuki watched the boy move his nose a few times, no doubt sniffing to see if there were more hiding somewhere. He must have discovered none because he silently bent down and grabbed the key. Keeping his singular eye on the man, he put the key in her cell's lock and turned it.

To both of their surprise, it clicked and the door swung open.

At the sight, the man took a few steps towards the two, then knelt on the ground. "Kazahana Koyuki-hime, I vastly apologize for my lateness in securing your release, but I had no opportunity until now."

"Opportunity?" Koyuki replied, walking out and staying behind Naruto. "Who are you?"

"The remaining two Leaf Genin are attacking the castle as we speak," the man replied as he reached into his vest pocket and took out a small item, putting it on the ground before removing his hood and face mask.

The item was a golden insignia inscribed with a steel fist.

"My name is Enrai Hisomu, your highness. I am the last of the Saati Koukennin."

Both of them just looked at the man. They couldn't believe what they were hearing, that someone was actually claiming to be one of the Guardians despite all reports saying they were dead.

They also couldn't pry their eyes off his left ear, which was missing its lower half.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) And so the Climax has started! The chips are down, the sides are exposed and things are on the move from many sides! Get ready for a ride because we're running this to the end!

Nothing really much to say here, I think the actions in the chapter speak for themselves. Hopefully the plans and actions on both Doto and Makino's part came off as natural and if anyone feels that they were contrived or anything, all I can say is that no one's perfect and I hope you were entertained even if you didn't agree with how I went about things.

Bonus points for anyone who can remember which character in this story has the sliced off ear!

Zodiac information comes from Wikipedia. For the record, I'm a Tiger ^_^

Paintball Gamer: And I'm a Dragon!

I also provided a diagram on Sasuke and Sakura's battle plan on my deviantart account for anyone who wants clarification on it. Link is on my bio page.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

**Zettai Hitoku **- _Absolute Concealment_/ A secret technique of the Hidden Snow Village. It allows one to implant objects inside of another, resulting in it being virtually undetectable. Precision is the _absolute _key to this jutsu, or else it will fail. Small items such as explosive notes are ideal, but bigger items are possible, though the bigger they are, the more difficult it is to successful implant. Living organisms cannot be used. The concealed item takes on the exact circumstances of whatever it is embedded in, making it impossible to detect unless one knows this technique and have accurate knowledge of where the item is. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Hidden Snow Village)

Zettai – Absolute  
Hitoku – Concealment  
Muryou – free  
Ototaru – to be off guard  
Fukurou - owl  
Hisomu – to be hidden

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belong to him. Big thanks to Tellemicus Sundance and Paintball-Gamer for beta reading this!_


	24. Beneath the Surface

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 24–Beneath the Surface!_

A few things to clear up. First and foremost, about how quickly the end is coming. Are we on the home stretch? Absolutely. Is it going to be quick? No. As noted with the story thus far, I take my time on all scenes and have inserted a lot of original material, from Bakeru, to the expansion of Snow Ninja, to elaborating on Team 7's plans and actions. The same is going to be with the end here with fights around, secrets revealed and ultimate resolutions on how this is all going to wrap up.

So how many more chapters are there? Best I can give you is a rough estimate: 10 chapters, making this story come around 34 chapters. Which is still shorter than Legacy Part 1 ^_^

As to who the ear-less Ninja is, revealed in this chapter!

**Black Fang Castle Control Room**

**8:15 pm**

Bakeru gave a small smile to himself as his eyes darted across all the screens, seeing the shinobi and samurai forces scattering about the castle like the idiots they truly were. It didn't even occur to them to try and contact the other teams in order to coordinate instead of relying entirely on a central source.

And these fools clearly thought _they _could conquer the Shinobi World? They couldn't handle even one _minor _village! Yes, on the surface, they did appear intimidating, skillful and tactful, but that's all they had: Appearance. They relied far too much on their technology and this was just another example of how it was their Kunai's Curse.

The Kunai's Curse was a story from the old days preceding the Ninja Villages. There was a tale of a legendary shinobi whose skills and reputation would have put Hanzo the Salamander _and_ the Sannin to shame. He was simply known as the Ryuuki Hoshi. The Rising Star. The guiding light of his clan, leading them to such great promise and prestige, they threatened to overtake even the almighty Senju and Uchiha clans. He appeared to have no equal, no weakness. That he would even go so far as to mock the Gods themselves.

Some people said _that's _what went too far with the Rising Star. During a battle with several of his rivals, a stray kunai struck his wrist. That simple action ended up rendering the Rising Star completely unable to use his arm, and as a further consequence, make him incapable of forming any seals for his ninjutsu. It was then learned that he had a weak bone structure, which explained why the small injury caused so much damage to the Rising Star, though some claimed it was due to being well into his fifties rather than a brittle bone condition.

In the end, that mis-thrown kunai ruined everything for the Rising Star. He lost the battle with his rivals and his entire clan was driven back. They were ruthlessly pursued over and over until the clan was decimated, the Rising Star himself disappearing from the world's eyes into legend.

All because of one little kunai. People still debate on who threw it. Some say it was one of the rivals, some say one of his own clansmen. And a few would say the Gods themselves did it.

In Snow's case, their technology was their curse. Because wreck even a little, and their entire society would crumble. Even if Bakeru actually did have the information he promised, it wouldn't help them. Oh, he had little doubt his master had all that intelligence, but he personally did not. He had absolutely no idea what the ANBU patrol routes were, or anything else he had promised. As they had captured the Kyuubi brat already, all he had to worry about was the girl, plus a few choice words and hints and the Snow Ninja would be so occupied with the Jinchuuriki they wouldn't notice him withdrawing with the Uchiha. All he would have to do is let the Snow Ninja find the remaining two from wherever they went after the big melee.

Then the two had attacked the castle directly. This wasn't entirely unforeseen, but his examination of their memories told him they would have gone the subtler route of breaking Koyuki and Naruto out, rather than a full-on attack. Admittedly, this did work more in his favor as it was putting the Snow Ninja on the defensive and disorganizing them, but at the same time, he had to make sure the two didn't kill themselves in the attempt. There were simply too many for the Leaf genin to deal with. Looking at the palace gates monitor, he saw that reinforcements were already arriving.

His eyes glanced downward to a special seal on the desk. The activation seal for those hidden exploding tags in the Great Hall. He looked at the screens picturing the movie crew and their watchers, all of them still completely in the dark due to all the festivities that were going on. He briefly toyed with the idea of just carrying out Doto's orders and eliminating them, then dismissed it. Bakeru would need an ample distraction for the Snow Ninja when he moved to grab the Uchiha and flee, and letting Makino's group take the fall to cover for him would be ideal.

That's when he noticed several Snow Ninja, including Sankaku, heading in his direction. It seemed _some _of the Yuki-nin had brains after all and realized something was horribly wrong in their Control Room. And quicker than he thought.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Bakeru said as he stood up. Time to get to work.

* * *

**A few minutes later **

The door to the Control Room blew up from a series of Ice jutsu and several Ninja ran inside, followed closely by Sankaku herself.

The Special Jonin looked around and her suspicions were confirmed. The four operators were dead on the floor, broken like twigs. Her eyes moved upward to see that every single piece of equipment was destroyed, like some wild animal had been set loose. Every single monitor screen was broken; the control boards had been ripped out and the radios smashed. Even the activation seal had been destroyed. There would be no way to activate their hidden bombs now.

Who could have done this was the question each of the Snow Ninja had on their minds and the answer came to Sankaku almost immediately: With the Kyuubi brat trapped, his two teammates fighting in the halls and the movie crew still in the hall, there was only one possible culprit left.

"Orochimaru." She said the name like it was a curse. She then punched the wall in fury. "We were fools to have trusted that Snake!"

Looking at her fellow Loyalists, she barked off a series of orders. "You! Go alert the San Eihei! They're our best bet to dealing with that bastard; you two go find Doto-sama, make sure he's safe! You, stay with me, we need to get this place back up and running; the rest of you, fan out and alert our comrades what happened! Make sure everyone sets their radios to channel four! Anything else is not to be trusted until further notice!"

A series of 'hais' and fists thumping on chests was heard in response as all but one dashed out of the room to relay her orders. Immediately, she and the sole remaining ninja began trying to fix their equipment, as she created an Ice Clone to watch the door.

With that, she began working on a long-range radio to contact Yukigakure and have them begin to prepare for the worst. Until she did, Black Fang Castle was cut off from the rest of the Country!

* * *

**Lower Levels; Prison Level**

**Same time**

"Sasuke and Sakura are _attacking_?" Naruto repeated as the man put his hood back on and stood up. Before either one could respond, Naruto did a small little giddy dance right there, happy tears streaking down his face. They weren't frozen alive in some forsaken lake after all! They had survived and come to get him, crashing the party like true pranksters at heart! Oh, he could just kiss them, he was so happy!

The Snow Ninja just nodded. "I suggest we – "

Koyuki interrupted, still standing behind Naruto. "Hold it. How do we know you're trustworthy?"

The blond gave his own nod, his own mind already working on how an 'escape' attempt could be played into Doto's hands. Namely, he could 'protect' his niece from the invaders and draw sympathy from those that still sympathized with Koyuki.

Hisomu just rolled his eyes then promptly drew two shuriken from his pouch and hurled them at the two unconscious jailers on the ground, the weapons burying themselves in their necks. "Any questions?"

Both princess and Leaf nin just stared at the casual killing of the two men. While Naruto _could _believe that Doto would willingly throw two men away, it was the laid-back reaction the man had to doing it that shocked him. There was no regret in his eyes, no reluctance. It was the action of a gravedigger finally moving past dealing with corpses and now able to mingle with society again.

Koyuki, however, had a very different reaction. "Was that really necessary? They weren't even – "

"Your father and many of those loyal to him suffered far more sinister means when they met their unfortunate ends, Koyuki-hime," the man replied in a flat voice. "Two dead here means two less pursuers. And there are several _hundreds_. I failed your father and many of my comrades for years… I don't intend to fail with you."

"And just what have you been doing all these years?" Naruto asked, collecting himself from what he just witnessed. "And why do you wear that – "

Hisomu cut him off. "As much as I would love to dump my life story, we _really _need to get out of here. Once we're out of Black Fang, I'll tell you my past all the way to the death of my little doggie over a cup of tea, but we need to go _now_."

Naruto felt Koyuki's eyes on him and a moment later, Hisomu's own joined them. So they were leaving it to him to trust the Snow Ninja or not. He took exactly three seconds to make his decision before giving his consent. "Alright, we trust you, Hisomu-san." He gestured to the Chakra Restraint Device still latched onto his stomach. "Any ideas how to get this damn thing off?"

The man knelt down and began expertly examining the Device. "I heard that Doto was crafting something like this, but to my knowledge, you're the first real test subject." He put one hand on it and began feeling around for a switch or release catch. Finding none, he took out a kunai and attempted to open the seal portion only for the weapon to snap. "My apologies," he said, finally backing off. "Best I can tell off hand is that you need the DNA of the one who put it on you in the first place."

Naruto just gave a dramatic sigh and shook his head. Of course it did; nothing could _ever _be simple, oh no! "Oh well… I've been meaning to introduce Nadare to my fists anyway." He turned around and started heading to the staircase.

"STOP!" Naruto froze on the spot and Koyuki jumped about a meter into the air. In a flash, Hisomu hurled a shuriken past them and into the stairway up. Once the projectile was inside, a large boulder came crashing down, collapsing the entire passageway as debris fell, blocking the entrance.

"Booby trap," Hisomu stated. "The castle is being attacked, so the traps to the Prison Level are active."

"Then I suppose you have a secret exit?" Naruto inquired.

"Something like that. There are three ways out: This one, the one I used, and the one you _really _don't want to know about."

Naruto had a mental image of being flushed out of the castle with all of the… waste contents. "Um… probably not."

With that, the trio took off down the hallway. As they left, Naruto pondered something. The Loyalist symbol was that of a metal fist on a silver insignia… and the one Hisomu just showed to prove he was one of the Guardians was a _metal fist _on a gold insignia. Exactly identical.

Why would Doto's insignia mirror that of the old regime?

* * *

**Sasuke**

Sasuke lowered his head as an ice blast sailed over him. Three Ninja were in hot pursuit of him and Sakura, with many coming from further behind. He gave a small leap in the air, rotating his body a hundred and eighty degrees to face the incoming enemy, his hands flying through the six familiar seals.

Six fireballs flew from his mouth towards the incoming ninja. One of them formed seals of their own and expelled a chilling wind from the mouth. Sasuke watched as his fireballs became smaller and smaller until they vanished into small poofs of smoke.

But it stalled them just long enough.

During this small exchange, Sakura had whipped out one of her kunai with the small pouches and hurled it to the ceiling. When it struck, the impact caused the pouch to explode, releasing dozens of tiny paper bombs throughout the air.

A Faiatama appeared to life in Sasuke's hand, which he then hurled towards the falling mini-explosives. The other two Yuki-Nin reacted with surprising efficiency by using two jutsu of their own – the Ice Tiger and the Ice Orb – to counter Sasuke's attack. The two attacks intercepted Sasuke's attack, extinguishing it just like his previous Katon, whipping out a kunai to deal with the incoming ice shards.

Acting on that moment, Sakura launched her own Faiatama, having used Sasuke as a block so the Yuki-nin couldn't see it. Sasuke watched confidently as the looks from the three enemy nin went from one of triumph to one of shock as Sakura's attack hit the first of the small papers.

A roaring explosion came next, shattering the stone all around them. Huge chunks of rubble fell from both the walls and the ceiling as debris began filling up the hallway as the Snow Ninja scrambled to get out of the way. Sasuke couldn't tell if they made it or not from the falling chunks of stone, but the passageway was sealed off for now and that's what mattered.

"At least until they blow away the debris," he muttered to himself.

Sakura's expression gave no hint to her thoughts about that statement as both of them turned around and hurried down the hallway, already hearing sounds of ninjutsu being used against the barricade.

The two continued onward, coming within sight of the two large oak doors of the Great Hall. Leaping as one, they kicked opened the doors, landing in the room with the grace of a cat that just jumped from a tree.

They had decided to try and get the movie crew out before heading down to Naruto, not knowing how many they could save (or the more likely fact of how far they would get before they got killed) escorting the group back to the trucks, but they were determined to try nonetheless.

The Great Hall had been exactly as they left it. The festive mood was going on, no one having heard anything from all the loud music and activity. People were still sprawled out all over the place, eating at the tables, conversing loudly as they stuffed themselves. Small shows were still going on, including that very annoying, damnable skit the two Leaf Genin had been forced to partake in.

All heads jerked in their direction due to the doors violently swinging open. While some people simply blinked and stared in confusion, shouts and sounds of detonations now began filling the room, making even the half-drunk Samurai realize what was going on.

Several things happened at once. Michy elbowed the samurai nearest to him, then palmed the guy in the chin, sending him to the ground. Hidero grabbed a plate from table and slammed it on another warrior's head. Ken spun around and threw what looked like a white ball at the face of the nearest Snow Ninja, who immediately began rubbing his face in a frenzy as tears streaked his face. Several Snow nin began forming seals to fire at the two teenagers, but were hit with various items by other members of the movie crew whom they had briefly forgotten about, including Kaijo of all people who grabbed the camera near him, turned it on the middle of the room and turned up the light way past the safety limits, blinding many.

Other Samurai had already drawn their weapons, but the movie crew – panic allowing them to react _slightly _faster – were already throwing everything they could at the snow soldiers: Food, cups, chairs… Sasuke swore a _rat _was hurled in all that mayhem.

The two leaf ninja acted themselves, rushing towards the enemy and combating as many as they could. Sakura all but tackled three samurai and two Chunin who were about to cut down some of the movie crew, while Sasuke used his Shishi Rendan on one of the Jonin, kicking him on a table, where he then rolled along said table and sprung back to his feet, kicking a pitcher at the nearest samurai.

Another of the Jonin in the room was calmly knocking aside all the makeshift projectiles. He pulled out a sword that would have made Zabuza proud and swung at the nearest crew members. Sasuke already felt himself running in that direction but knew he was too far away and braced himself for what he would see next. Except it didn't come as that was when Makino moved, as swift as a wolf, calmly shoving the three grateful men down and spinning around as the sword narrowly missed the old director as it slammed into the ground, cutting down. Makino looked like someone had won a poker game rather than someone who just had a brush of death.

That's when the old man grinned, his pipe sticking up as a result as he put his hand together, forming the seals for Inu, Hare, Tatsu, Ushi, then Inu again. "Ninpou…"

Sasuke and Sakura just looked on in pure shock. No way… there was no way in hell he could…

"Shounetsujigoku," Makino shouted, abruptly cutting off his "handseals" and merely blowing hard on his pipe. Two small smoking cinders flew out and hit the Snow Nin right in the eyes, resulting the man screaming as his hands covered his face in agony.

The Uchiha heir nearly tripped over his own feet. _I should have known… _

A yell of anger and humiliation escaped the shinobi's throat as he grabbed his massive sword and swung widely at the director, at the same time trying to clear out his eyes with his free hand. Makino calmly shifted his stance back and forth, avoiding the large katana with pathetic ease. When the sword came downward at him, he hopped to the side, then actually jumped on the blade forcing it out of the man's hand.

Makino quickly hopped off the sword and slammed his other foot into the stone cold floor. To Sasuke's utter amazement, a piece of the stone floor kicked up into the air, slamming right into the forehead of the other man.

He crumpled to the floor at once.

Everyone's heads drew to the sight of some old fossil toying with a _Jonin _like he was some fresh academy student. Sasuke was glad no one was looking at him because he did not want to explain his own gaping expression at what he just witnessed… whatever the hell it was!

That's when everything began changing. The room began swirling in three different directions as he was hit with several different lights in rapid succession. First black, then green, then red, then white, then black again. He clutched his head to try and get a grip on reality as his Sharingan activated, trying to pinpoint the source.

His dojutsu helped some. He was able to make the room only spin in _one _direction and the rapid light show slowed down considerably. He managed to look around and saw that everyone – including the Snow personal – were reacting just as he had, gripping their heads and screaming like they were going insane. Sakura herself was barely standing, making the Tora seal, shouting 'Kai' every few seconds as sweat dripped down her head, her face visibly strained by the effects.

Sasuke found the source at the other side of the room just as everything flipped upside down and he was hit with an intense flash of red, making him keel over. Trying to compose himself, he saw that the user was this ridiculously old snow ninja hag, who was standing with her arms spread out as though she were praying to the gods, glowing like a rainbow. His Sharingan then analyzed that this woman wasn't casting just one genjutsu, but many. They were happening so fast that by the time his eyes locked on and registered one, two new ones replaced it.

How the hell was she casting so many illusions at once? She wasn't even moving, let alone making handseals!

"Akufu-sama, please stop!" several of the Yuki-nin called out. One was actually clawing his eyes out to try and get all the visions to stop. "_We're _here too!"

This Akufu responded by crossing her arms in front of her, gesturing with her hands inward as if she were yanking something out. This time, the room began flipping up and down while many floating death heads began flying everywhere. Every time they hit a person, they would clutch their chests and fell to the ground.

_Is she literally scaring us to death? _Sasuke wondered as a death head thing came at him. He attempted to use his Sharingan to dispel it but the second he did, it split into three different variants. The first one hit him dead him on, followed quickly by the second and third. Each one made him feel like he had swallowed molten lead while at the same time he was bombarded with intense images of _that night. _No! He was NOT going to succumb to this again! It would _NOT _happen –

BHRRRRRR!

It was like someone slapped Sasuke. A split second later, it then felt like cold water was dunked on him as the room was once again bathed in intense light. Only this time, it remained the same color and merely grew in intensity. Due to his Sharingan's sight increase, Sasuke found himself closing his eyes by reflex.

And when he opened them, all the visions were gone. He picked himself off from the floor (when the heck did he fall anyway?) and looked around in complete astonishment. The room was no longer spinning, lights weren't flashing and there was no sign of those death head things. He wasn't the only one amazed as Sakura just had her jaw hanging open and slouching, the movie crew as well as the Snow forces – both Samurai and Shinobi alike – were slowly regaining their bearings, a small truce declared as everyone was trying to figure out what stopped the attack.

That's when everyone saw Makino himself standing in the middle of the room, his sunglasses over his face. In one hand was a foghorn and in the other was a light from the top of one of the cameras.

_Okay… no… just no! You have GOT to be pulling my leg! You're saying MAKINO stopped that attack? MAKINO? With SUNGLASSES AND SOME COMMON PLACE TOOLS? Everyday items did BETTER than my Sharingan? No, no, no! There has to be some mistake!_

In what crazy loony reality did this happen? Where a senile movie director who claimed to be perfectly ordinary was able to outperform ninja like this!

This guy was as _ordinary _as a three-headed goat! This guy _HAD _to be some sort of ninja legend! Gari of the Rock's Blast Unit, Fuguki Suikazan the previous owner of the Samahada or even the legendary molten user, Roshi!

"In the end, it's all just a fancy light show, my dear," Makino said regarding the other senior in the room. "Which just happens to be _my _area of expertise."

_Light show my ass! _Sasuke screamed mentally.

"Is that what ya thinks it is, ya hunk?" Akufu asked. She spread her arms out and green – that's right _green _– fire burst to life in her hands. Sasuke found himself looking at it hard with his Sharingan. The flames looked… twisted and sick, as opposed to a healthy, roaring fire. The Loyalist threw her arms forward, hurling the green flames at the aged director.

Makino simply stood his ground, tapping his foot as the green flames of death came at him. About four seconds before impact, he darted off to the side and pulled off a tablecloth. He twisted the cloth in front of him as the flames struck it. He began spinning around in a circle with the grace that would had made professional dancers envious as he began bundling up the now burning cloth in his hands, expertly touching the none flame portions. He came to a stop, holding up the bundled cloth the size of a basketball. A green burning basketball in his hands that emitted so much heat Sasuke could feel it from where he stood nearly ten meters away, yet Makino seemed perfectly fine! The director then lobbed the burning makeshift ball right at back at Akufu with an astonishing amount of strength in the throw.

Akufu merely narrowed her eyes in irritation. Without warning, a slab of stone shot up in front of the old crone, forming a protective pillar. Makino's homemade projectile collided with it, the flames now slowly consuming the stone wall.

The Snow Ninja snapped her fingers and the green flames vanished, the tattered remains of the tablecloth falling to the ground. She then picked up her right foot and stomped down hard. Suddenly her stone pillar broke apart into three pieces as they began floating around her and then launched themselves at Makino as Akufu crossed her arms.

This time Makino didn't wait as he jumped forward, grabbing two nearby chairs. He spun around once and tossed them at the first stone. The chairs hit and shattered, but in a bizarre domino-like effect, the first stone then crashed into the second one, both of which collided with the third one. Makino leaped up right at the three stones, set his hand upon them and shoved them to the ground. They hit _hard, _kicking up a fair amount of dust that covered the man completely.

Several items came firing out of the dust cover that Sasuke saw were plates from the tables. About ten of them, heading towards Akufu as accurately thrown as kunai. The old woman merely growled in annoyance as she raised her arm –

BHRRRRRR!

Makino's foghorn went off again, louder than ever as even Sasuke felt himself jerking and covering his ears from the unexpected noise. Akufu herself also flinched for a split second as the plates neared her. Being a Jonin, she managed to avoid all but the initial one as a small cut appeared on her face. Her eyes began blazing red – yes, literal red – to match the blood seeping down her cheek.

The dust cover began spinning around as though Naruto's Kaze Tate had activated. It then dispersed itself, revealing a towering Makino, the foghorn in his left hand. With his other hand, he began wiggling his finger like a disapproving parent with a cheeky grin on his face.

Everyone was just staring completely dumbfounded at what was going on… indeed, WHAT was going on? Could this battle even be called _ninjutsu_?

A loud shout erupted from the Snow Ninja. Suddenly the entire area began shaking as shrapnel, sharp wooden splinters, ninja weapons and equipment began picking themselves up into the air. Everyone gulped slightly as they backed up as far to the wall as they could. It was a rather strange sight to see individuals who had just been fighting minutes earlier now tolerating each other as this duel of the fogies continued, each one just hoping to get out of this with their heads intact.

Akufu gave a small nudge with her head as every article went flying directly at the old man. In a flash, Makino tossed aside his foghorn and reached into his pockets. When he pulled them out, he was wearing what looked like joy buzzers on his hands as he slapped his hands over his head. Once again, there was this loud shrieking noise erupted from them. Each of Akufu's projectiles stopped in midair, then clattered to the ground.

Makino quickly reached into his pocket again and held his arm up high, now holding a small lighter. With a flick, the small flame came to life. Then Makino opened his hand and let it drop to the ground.

The floor exploded at his feet. These small explosions snaked towards Akufu, with each explosion building off the previous, growing stronger and stronger. Sasuke was just flabbergasted at what was happening when he noticed that it wasn't the stone exploding, but several lines of black powder on the ground. _That must had been on the plates he threw, depositing this… blast powder… on the ground as a setup for this… attack! _Sasuke realized.

From the Loyalist leader's reaction, she recognized this as well. With a loud 'Kuso', she repeated Makino's action and clapped over her head. Stone from the walls, floor and roof all came to her aid, forming a protective dome around her just barely ahead of the exploding powder.

For the first time, Sasuke saw Makino's eyes narrow. He no longer wore that confident smile he had previously, his stance was more on edge and even the hairs on the back of his neck seemed to stand on end. His gaze was carefully searching around as the stone dome crumbled… and Akufu was nowhere to be seen.

"That is _low,_ honey," Makino said unexpectedly. Sasuke started to ask what the hell he was talking about.

"DO _NOT _MOVE, SASUKE!"

Sasuke felt like a hand clasped around his throat from the sheer shock from the order. He had heard Makino yell before, but this was completely different. There was a notch of _panic _in his voice now. Actual _PANIC!_ None of that lighthearted tone he had used, or his easygoing insanity that he was so fond of in his directing. Even those situations had a touch of fun; this was entirely different as Makino's tone spoke of complete _seriousness. _Sasuke had trouble wrapping his brain around this fact. Makino being serious was like… like… like Orochimaru dressing up in a dog suit, doing a single handstand and using his free hand to play his tongue like an instrument. It simply DID NOT HAPPEN.

That's when Sasuke gasped out loud, clutching his stomach. How could he describe this? It felt like someone had taken a dagger, completely bypassed his skin and stabbed his stomach, sadistically twisting it. Each of his organs now felt like they were being shuffled all over the place. Out of the corner of his eyes (his damn USELESS eyes that didn't tell him at all what the hell was going on!) he saw everyone else reacting the same way. Makino himself was violently reacting, but he quickly grabbed a discarded kunai from the table and stabbed himself in the upper arm.

"EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE GET BEHIND ME _**NOW!**_" Makino shouted at the top of his lungs in an authoritative voice that would have made every single Kage obey without question as he tossed the shinobi knife to the side.

Everyone on the movie crew and Sakura obeyed immediately and, to Sasuke's surprise, a handful of samurai and three of the Snow Shinobi did as well. No one questioned them or stopped them as they all fell behind Makino, horror etched on the faces of those warriors and ninja that had not acted in time. Makino put his hand to his mouth and whistled. It sounded much like the low hum of a whale. Sasuke felt the evil sensations fade away as they all looked on helplessly at those on the other side.

They were raving like lunatics, grasping their heads and shouting out pleas of mercy to Akufu, begging for their lives and not to hurt them. Their screams would pierce Sasuke's skull and if he lived to be a 150, he would still remember them with perfect recollection.

"… the black death…" one of the Snow Ninja spoke, sounding sick.

"The what?" the Uchiha heir demanded.

The man gulped. "It's… well… it was always a skill that Akufu," Sasuke noticed the deliberate lack of an honorific on the name. "Boasted about. Imagine a black hand hanging over your head… then that hand completely bypassing your flesh and bones, to where it could reach the very recesses of your brain itself… imagine that hand taking hold of it and _tearing out _pieces. Memories. Aspects of your personality. Even down to basic reactions. Reshaping your mind into a small _fraction _of what it was. A very small, broken and ill-built fraction."

"She demonstrated something very similar to this once before. On a group of pigs. Made them all stand up on their hind legs and dance. But that was nothing compared to this, so we all thought it was just some fancy trick she pulled to justify her status," another Yuki-nin spoke. He looked at Makino as though he were a god. "How are you protecting us?"

"That's not the question you need to ask, son," Makino said, pointing at the other side of the great hall. "What you should be asking is: What happens now?"

Sasuke couldn't find it in himself to call these creatures men and women anymore. Their eyes were completely blackened out, much like paint splashed down on them. They did not walk, they stumbled. They moved about like a broken puppet, their limbs out of place and moving about in unnatural ways. As they took steps, their entire body would slouch only to jerk back upright with the next step.

"Was there really a need to result to this, sweetheart?" Makino asked out loud, a small hint of his previous demeanor slowly returning.

"_I HATE to lose._" The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "_Though it has been a long time since _anyone _could see through my art, my pretty."_

"Oh, I'm hurt. I thought we were having fun on our date."

"_The time of my life, honey. But sadly, all good things must pass."_

Sasuke found this little banter rather disturbing.

Makino didn't reply to this as he looked at the two dozen or so Snow personnel behind him. "Well, what will you all do? If you are loyal…" He pointed at the Broken Horde slowly lining up and ready for a charge. "You might as well strike us now and join your brethren."

The Shinobi and Samurai looked at each other, then their comrades. "One… could argue that Akufu has gone too far and needs to be removed…" a samurai said slowly.

"… I always thought she lost her mind. That's not the kind of person Doto-sama needs in his command," one of the Chunin spoke up.

"_All pass along your resignations to Doto then," _Akufu's voice said. "_Don't worry, I'll be sure to tell him you all perished in the line of duty." _

With that, the Broken Horde charged forward in their swaggering run. Sasuke and Sakura ran forward from their line to met the charge, the three Yuki-nin only a second behind them, then Ken, Hidero and Michy, followed by the Samurai, then the rest of the movie crew, picking up anything that could be used as a makeshift weapon, while Makino stayed where he was, his eyes still searching.

Battle cries were heard as the two groups clashed. Bodies were knocked over from the sheer force of impacts as sounds of combat rang through the hall. About seven of the movie crew tackled a Broken who was then pinned to the ground by one of the Samurai's katanas. One of the Broken Shinobi formed an Ice jutsu, hurling a good portion of the crowd into the air. The sole remaining _sane _Jonin was battling two of his former comrades at once, sparks flying from their clashing weapons. Sasuke was battling three shinobi at once, claiming a fallen katana. These Broken Men moved so strangely and awkwardly that even with his Sharingan helping him, all he could do was parry them off, never managing to form a single hand seal. Sakura was fighting alongside the actors, each of them covering and replacing each other as they tangled with Broken Samurai, allowing Kaijo to lob projectiles at them.

Makino was standing still, none of the Broken coming at him. And the reason was obvious: Akufu wanted him for herself.

That's when Makino spun on his heel just missing Akufu's materializing hand, black as the night and emitting a nauseating odor. Her hand missed Makino's head by centimeters as the old man grabbed a nearby pitcher and shoved it on the woman's hand, liquid spilling all over her arm. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out something that looked like a flash bomb while Akufu reared her other hand back.

They clashed.

There was a deafening explosion that momentarily paused all the fighting and when it cleared, both of them were gone.

Before anyone could say or do anything more, the Great Hall doors burst open and several more shinobi rushed in. Sasuke looked back just in time to groan before blocking another strike from the Ninja he was fighting. He shoved the arm back and kicked the Broken as he spun around, preparing to meet the new enemies.

The Yuki-nin went right past him and kicked the Broken Nin, hurling him into the nearest wall.

Behind Sakura, two of the newcomers dropped down on the group of Samurai, freezing them to the ground. Another one kicked a Chunin in the face as the two began rolling on the ground. A more robust Yuki-nin grabbed another Broken Chunin by the head, slamming it in the ground hard, followed by a spread of hair firing into the former ninja's chest.

Wait… _hair_?

Sasuke stole another look and this time recognized the man. The Hair User he fought previously in the big melee, Heaairon Oniikei.

Looking around further on, he realized he recognized each of the newcomers. The shinobi they had fought by the lakeside.

"Keep focused, Uchiha." Sasuke looked behind him to see another Snow Ninja entering as three more forms jumped past him into the melee.

"There is much to be done and your support is here," Suigen Kiganai said.

* * *

**Black Fang Castle**

All around the castle, Snow teams consisting of men and women, shinobi and samurai, were responding as efficiently as they knew how either in pursuit of the genin (they seemed to be _everywhere_!) or dealing with the damages to the armory, stables and blacksmith. A team of samurai ran along the battlements, having been informed that the genin had planted explosives there as a means of escape as a group of four Snow shinobi landed behind them.

Seconds later, that same group of samurai was frozen to the wall.

Four Snow ninja ran down the hall to the Warlord's chambers when two figures jumped from the ceiling and landed on two of them, knocking them out. The other two looked on in shock to see that _Yuki_-nin had done the dropping.

A powerful Chokushanikkou beam hit the two dead on, slamming them against the wall and off to slumber land as well.

In the north wing of the castle, two different teams of Snow ninja crossed paths. They quickly conferred with each other, then rushed off in opposite directions… for about five seconds before one of them blasted the other from behind.

All across the castle, Snow ninja were turning on their fellows, both Samurai and Shinobi alike. Yuki-nin blasted, tackled, or struck their fellows, either stunning or killing outright. While many were undoubtedly taken by surprise, the sheer number of Doto supporters running around meant that only so many would be taken down before the remaining forces realized what was going on. A Samurai commander snarled in disgust as what this meant.

They had been betrayed!

And that's when the stone wall exploded and a lightning blade burst through the man's chest.

* * *

**Back in the Great Hall **

-_Flashback approximately ten minutes earlier- _

Kiganai had been chatting with several of his fellows about the condition of the injured. The way station here was truly gifted. That's not to say the others around the Snow Country weren't, but this one was situated close to the Daimyo himself, so being up to date _and _efficient was mandatory. Any serious injuries – namely the ones Reigi sustained from the demon boy – were taken care of, leaving only a small number of bumps and bruises. Kiganai had been talking with those on the failed assault what to do in order to get accepted back into Doto's graces without becoming missing-nin.

And that's when the explosions happened.

Sure they had all seen the trucks enter the castle and suspected the Genin were sneaking in… but none of them actually believed they'd do anything!

Over fifty ninja jerked their heads in the direction of the castle as smoke was starting to rise into the cold, black night. "You have _got _to be kidding me," Kugi said. The bear summoner's chest was heavily bandaged as he put his outer shirt and jacket back on. "_They're still at it_? It's only been… what, half a day since they beat all of us?"

"Tell me about it," Murasaki spoke, huddling over. His left knee had a brace on it. "Don't they _ever _take a break? At least wait a day or so."

"I can tell you in _my _day…" Oyaji started rambling on and on about the 'glory days' and 'undignified young men' again.

Kiganai wasn't listening. He was just watching. One, two… at least three separate explosions. He couldn't hear anything, but he saw spotlights all over the place. These three little kids… _ninja, _he corrected himself… had infiltrated this land, fought again and again against overwhelming odds, survived, and continued to fight. And this wasn't even their country.

While they… what had _they _done? What had they accomplished? What had the Shinobi of Yukigakure in the Snow Country been doing during all this?

They obeyed the rules, followed their superior… and he left them to waste away in the snowstorm, not lifting a finger to help.

What did following the rules now mean? Doto was not a kind person. He would not welcome failures back. They'd probably be used as test fodder for his forces before striking the Five Great Nations.

A shinobi was supposed to follow the rules and be ready to give their life for their village and country… but what if the one doing the ordering wasn't acting in the best interest of the village or country or both? Did being a true shinobi mean accepting what was to come, even if death was a cause that you didn't believe in… or did being a true shinobi mean being willing to stand and say "This is not working, we need a change." ?

He didn't find an answer to that question; so he asked himself a much simpler question:

Did he like the way Doto did things?

That answer, perhaps not so surprisingly, came immediately.

Kiganai began walking towards the castle. "Going off to help, eh?" Tsukai asked, giving off his weird chuckle again. "Count me in, I want some payback."

"I am going to back up the Leaf Ninja."

Dead silence.

Fujiwara Sekimu broke it first, his right hand subconsciously rubbing his tender chest. "Say that again."

He came to a stop, his eyes resting on the castle ahead of him, the sounds of violence still escalating. "I said I'm going to help the Leaf Ninja. It's long past time we did."

"Are you NUTS?" several of them shouted. "That's TREASON!"

"They came here FIRST! Not the other way around!"

"They nearly killed us and left us for dead!"

"So did Doto," Kiganai interrupted.

That earned another silence, much like when one was kicked hard in the gut.

The Suigen clan member looked over his shoulder towards his fellows. "Yes, we fought and lost against them. And when we needed help, Doto abandoned us to the elements. We had to fend for ourselves. That is Doto's way… and I no longer like it. It's high past time we do something about it."

Eimin shook his head. "You'll just end up as a Missing-nin if you try this. There's only death for such a path."

"We're going to be on that path regardless." All heads turned towards the new speaker, Homare, as he walked forward. "We've failed in our assault on the genin and Doto will have no use for us. If we aren't rounded up and killed on the spot, we'll be hunted down."

"So you're going too, _Honor-san_," Tettsui asked, deliberately using mocking contempt. "You two won't change anything! The Saati Koukennin tried and _lost._"

"Oh, wake up!" Ikusa snapped. She pointed to the castle. "In case you forgot, _THREE GENIN _have caused all that ruckus!"

At the proclamation, the Ninjas' heads all glanced towards the castle again. It was still brightly lit from the active searchlights; the genin were still making an effort despite Doto's whole stronghold going against them. "Would Koyuki-hime even take us as supporters?" Gyokuei Hari asked. "Even if by some fluke all of Doto's supporters are taken down at Black Fang, he still has the rest of Snow to call upon, including Yukigakure."

Kiganai shook his head. "Look… I'm not trying to convince anyone. You can argue yourselves to death whether to act or not. I'm not making any big speeches, just going by what I see: Three young adults have stood up to Doto, no plan, and are _winning. _Leaf Ninja doing what _Snow _Ninja should have done long ago. Decide for yourselves on what to do… and if you want to stop me, I'll see you on the battlefield."

Without another word, Kiganai took off towards the Castle.

Seconds passed, then Ikusa and Homare took off as well. The rest of them just stood dumbfounded, looking at each other, wanting someone to say _anything _on what they should be doing.

"Don't worry, Hottie!" Everyone turned to see Yashinka dramatically running in place. "Yashinka, the Self-Proclaimed Prince of Snow, shall come save you, Pink Princess!" With a flamboyant gesture, he broke off into a run following the trio from earlier. Hari, Sekimu, and Kakeru soon joined them.

Followed by every single one of them.

_-End of flashback- _

Kiganai weaved in and out of the mass human melee going on as he made it to the Uchiha, kicking a Broken in the face and sending it sprawling across the wall. "I thought you said we didn't know what we were doing," the boy said, a small smirk appearing on his face. "That we could try for a hundred years and still never prevail."

"You can be surprisingly inspirational," Kiganai replied. "Listen, let us take over from…"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow to him. "You want me to leave our allies in your hands and run from this fight?"

"I want you to focus on the bigger picture. Focus on Doto and the San Eihei. Unless those four are defeated as well, none of this will matter. You guys have the skills to do it, you can't waste time fighting _everyone _here." He gave a small smile behind his mask. "Let us reclaim _some_ dignity for our Country ourselves. Just take out Doto and his three stooges."

"That was always the plan," the Uchiha replied as he thought about it. It didn't take him long to nod in agreement as he signaled Sakura towards the door. "Where is our friend being held?"

Kiganai quickly told him of the prison level and the ways to get down, suggesting one of the lesser routes to get there. Before he could explain why, swirling black smoke gathered on one of the tables, revealing Akufu. Glaring daggers in their direction, she opened her hand, a misshapen piece of metal with sharp edges appearing. Throwing her arm back, she hurled it at the two.

Sasuke was already preparing to block, but Kiganai jumped in front of him and kicked the projectile with his shin guards, the device disrupting it as it hurled across the room into a Broken. "Go!" Kiganai shouted as he continued to block each shot Akufu fired at them as the two Leaf genin made their way toward the door.

The movie crew were slowly moving back into a supporting role as the Snow Ninja were taking over. Several of them clashed in the air like some ritualistic dance, kunai clashing in elegant patterns. One Yuki-nin was chasing a Broken by running on the walls, constantly firing ninjutsu in their direction. Another Yuki-Nin fired a Tiger Missile, hitting one Samurai through the chest into a second one before five Broken tackled him, ripping him apart like wolves.

Sakura and Sasuke just made it to the door when a large ice rhino was nearly on top of them. This time, Danmari appeared, using one of his great axes and cleaving the attack in two. He looked over his shoulder and gave the two a nod.

"Do not worry about us." All figures looked up to see Makino sitting on top of the door. His left leg was casually swinging off the side while he rested his head with his right arm. In his left hand he held something they couldn't make out as he stood up and calmly jumped down by the two Leaf Ninja. "Go rescue your teammate."

Before they could respond, Makino gave the big man a nod and Danmari not so gently shoved them out of the room. Using his foot, Makino gave a mighty shove on the oak doors to close them. "Go do what you must," Makino said, peeking past a fraction of a second before the doors shut the two outside. "We will not allow anyone to escape."

The doors closed on the Genin before either of them could utter a response. Makino walked gracefully in front of the two great oak doors. "They shall not pass!"

* * *

**Lower Levels, roughly same time**

At Naruto's insistence, the trio here did not start looking for an alternative exit. He had something _else _to take care of first.

So Hisomu lead him to Akufu's lab, where Naruto had first been brought and examined. When they got there, the old crone wasn't there. Or anyone for that matter. While it was probably a good thing given the blond still had the Chakra Restraint Device on him, he was nonetheless pissed at the fact that he couldn't beat the utter tar out of the old fossil. Instead, the three of them looked over the lab, hoping to find something that might be able to remove the infernal thing.

After several minutes of fruitless searching, it became apparent that they were finding nothing. So in a need to _vent _all his frustrations built up over the day, Naruto went ballistic on the lab. He smashed every vial he could find, wrecked everything he found on the tables, demolished that mirror thing that was used on him, destroyed every sheet of notes he could fine before ending it all with a well-placed explosion.

Seeing the place completely ruined lifted Naruto's spirits some and he did feel a lot better, with the blast echoing behind them. Hisomu had turned on his radio to the Yuki-nin's channel, so they were able to hear bits and pieces of the conversation. Seemed that Sasuke and Sakura really had the Snow Ninja stumped, making them believe the two were everywhere. Now they just had to find them and –

An explosion came from further down the hall and Hisomu muttered a curse. "That's where the exit was. Something's up."

Naruto uttered a word in response that made Koyuki smack him across the head. Both he and Hisomu pressed Koyuki against the wall as they drew weapons, Naruto a kunai and Hisomu a short sword he called a chokuto. Naruto took a few careful sniffs and growled in his throat as the cold was still making it hard for him to smell anything. In this case, he was smelling bacon and chicken!

The Guardian leaned towards the corner and held up a hand, silently counting down with his fingers. With the last one down, both Naruto and Hisomu sprung around the corner.

"SASUKE?"

"NARUTO?"

"SAKURA?"

"KOYUKI?"

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

Each of the shinobi was frozen in place as these words left their lips. Hisomu's sword was at Sakura's throat, but blocked by a kunai in Sasuke's left hand, his Sharingan blazing. His right hand had a katana that was pointing right at Naruto's heart. Naruto in turn had his kunai clashing with Sasuke's sword and his hand slightly clasped around Sasuke's neck. Sakura, in turn, had a kunai in her right hand that had slightly dug into Naruto's hand and a small Faiatama in her other hand ready to throw. Koyuki was standing behind the Snow and Leaf Shinobi, clutching something rather tightly.

Slowly, everyone withdrew their weapons and the fireball in Sakura's hand died away. Sasuke gave a light chuckle as he rubbed his throat and deactivated his doujutsu. "_Finally _found you, Sekigan. You've – "

Before another word could be said, Naruto grabbed both of them into a tight hug. "YOU WONDERFUL BASTARDS! I THOUGHT YOU REALLY WERE DEAD THIS TIME! JUST LIKE WITH HAKU! YOU TWO HAVE GOT TO KICK THIS HORRIBLE HABIT!"

"_Naruto! The hell!"_

"_Nice to see you too… LET GO YOU BAKA!"_

Naruto's only response was to continue squeezing the living daylights out of them. Both Sakura and Sasuke's faces were beginning to turn blue, while tears of joy leaked out from Naruto's sole working eye. "THAT'S RIGHT! PARADISE! CALL ME A FEW MORE NAMES, HA HA HA! I COULD THINK OF TONS FOR YOU BOTH: SCAR BUTT, PINK FIST, FIRE RAVEN, WILD CHERRY BLOSSOM! DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN! SHEESH, WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE TO KEEP YOU GUYS FROM – "

All the while, Koyuki and Hisomu just stared in an awkward silence. Like they just walked into a marriage proposal from the biggest nerd you could imagine to the world's greatest geek. "Ladies and Gentlemen," Koyuki said in a deadpan voice, jerking all three heads in their direction. She held her hand towards them. "The Heroes of the Snow Country."

"… you know, we can just stand over here…" Hisomu said, jerking his thumb down the hallway a bit. "And stick my head in a furnace," he added under his breath.

In the time it took you to take a breath, Naruto quickly disengaged himself from his two teammates, composed himself (save for a slight red in the face) as he coughed into his fist and started to speak in a more natural, normal tone when both his comrades smacked him across the head, calling him several colorful terms of their own.

"Moving on," the Snow Ninja said impatiently as his eyes settled on the two newcomers. "What's going on above? What was that explosion behind you?"

"_You _go first," Sakura insisted. "Who are you and why are you helping them?" She pointed at Naruto and Koyuki.

"I'm Hisomu, I'm the last of the Saati Koukennin. I just helped Naruto-san and Koyuki-hime break out and I killed two Loyalists to prove it," the man replied carefully.

Sasuke and Sakura were still eyeing him suspiciously, then looked past him towards Naruto, their eyes asking the question silently. Naruto just gave a slight nod.

The two relaxed about three hairs.

Sasuke jerked upward with his thumb and gave them the rundown of what had happened during the last twenty minutes: how they snuck out of the kitchens and planted traps, that they were discovered and forced to act prematurely. Running towards the Great Hall, the initial clash inside as the movie crew fought back, and the arrival of backup from the defeated Snow ninja.

Naruto whistled. "Damn, you two've been busy. And all I've got to show for it is this stupid thing." He angrily indicated the Chakra Restraint Device. "And a _whole lot _of pent-up anger." He turned to Sakura. "You still have it?"

She gave a nod as she reached up and undid her headband. She pulled it off her head as her hair fell out of place. A small item fell as a result, which she caught with ease.

The Hex Crystal.

"So you three _did _have it," Koyuki said.

"Fubuki asked out loud at the Iceberg if you had the Hex Crystal," Sasuke said as Sakura handed it over to Koyuki. "It wasn't hard to figure out she meant this."

"_I _pulled it off you before we all started talking on the ship on what was really going on. I gave it to Sakura this morning when we split up looking for you after you ran off. The original plan was to keep passing it around between us," Naruto added. "So that only _two _of us would know at a time who had it. Plausible deniability. But that idea went out the window when we got separated."

There was a sharp whistle and the heads all turned towards the Snow Ninja once again as Sakura retied her headband back in her hair. "Look, I hate to break up this little reunion but _we need to get out of here_. Uchiha, _what happened to the exit_?"

It was Sakura who answered. "We were chased by some Snow ninja. Some of their jutsu missed us and hit the staircase down. We barely made it past before it completely collapsed."

Hisomu buried his face in his hands. "… they _didn't _miss."

"What?" the other four asked.

"They _aimed _for the entrance to trap us down here." Hisomu said. He started to look ill. "The main passageway is destroyed and now the backup is as well. Now we're stuck down here."

"Wait a minute," the Uzumaki snapped. His features hardened slightly as he glared at the Yuki-nin. "You told me there were _three _ways out! You better not be lying to us!"

"Because we don't want to use that other route," Hisomu started.

"Why?" Sasuke asked suspiciously. "Does it cut into a waiting trap? Or you going to try and tell us you don't want to walk through sewage?"

"Because it cuts through the Hell Asylum!" Hisomu interrupted.

The four other faces took on looks of confusion. "We've heard about that a few times," Sakura said. "Just what _is _that place?"

Hisomu just shook his head. "The key to Doto's power." He gave a sigh and turned around. "Come with me and pray for your souls."

* * *

**Sasuke**

As they follow the Snow Ninja onward, Sasuke felt himself more and more on edge. He knew _exactly _who this 'Hisomu' was. The chokuto itself was enough to give it away, the fact the man did not give his surname, the man's chakra signature, even the way he moved and gestured only further proved it. The _only _reason he wasn't blowing the man's identity right now was the fact that dozens of Snow Ninja had come and aided them and it was possible this man was doing the same. Foe or otherwise, Sasuke was positive the Yuki-nin was sincere in wanting to escape this level, so for the moment, they needed him. It was the rest of his intentions that were a mystery to the Uchiha heir.

What happened after that would be the Shinigami's own luck.

He carefully glanced to his female teammate. From just the way she looked, he couldn't tell if she also knew or not. He was certain Sakura suspected as she had been there during the encounter. Naruto, of course, hadn't run into this man before so he had no idea, though Sasuke was pleased to see the blond was nonetheless only trusting the Snow Shinobi so far and ready to act according if it came to that. Sasuke would had told Naruto already, if not for the fact he didn't want this man to overhear the conversation and put him on guard.

_In response, the man tossed back his hood and lower his facial mask, revealing that he was missing the lower half of his left ear. "My name is Enrai Taigi." He put the chokuto in his... mouth?... as he pulled out a scroll. "You killed my lover." With that, he summoned two normal-sized katanas which he held in his hands in the reverse grip style. "Prepare to die."_

Enrai Taigi.

* * *

**Ten minutes later**

"You have _GOT _to be kidding me."

"THIS is what you're all so afraid of?"

"You Snow Ninja **REALLY **need to grow up here!"

Before them was a pair of large steel doors with Doto's grinning face in front of them.

"Come on," Naruto said annoyed as he waved off the entryway. "Sure, Doto is ugly as hell, but that's no…"

"It's _inside, _you nitwits," 'Hisomu' snapped back. He took a deep breath to steady himself then walked over to the doors. He waved his hand over Doto's mouth.

"_Holy is Doto-sama, great is he! Magnificent one he will truly be! Lord of the Snow, Earth and more, we'll happily serve him here and for! Doto-sama, King Most High, surely he will reign beyond the sky! Beloved Leader of our great History, how anyone could displease him is a mystery! But somehow you have done so, so now you must reap what you sow! So beg and cry like the losers you must be, for now comes your judgment you pathetic little wannabe!"_

This was all sung like a children's sing-along.

The three Leaf Ninja were just dumbstruck from hear this. Sakura's mouth was hanging open, Sasuke's scarred eye twitched irritably and Naruto just rubbed his ears over and over. Even Koyuki was taken back, not sure at all what to say.

"Get used to it. There are forty seven verses."

"_FORTY SEVEN?" _

"Excluding the choruses and bridges."

"And just when I thought my opinion of Doto couldn't get lower," Naruto said in disgust. "I think my ears are going to bleed."

Hisomu didn't respond as he waved his hand over the stone mouth again. This time a paper seal appeared with the Kanji "Supreme!" written on it. Locking mechanisms began turning as the steel doors slowly swung open.

The Yuki-nin went in first, followed by the three Leaf Ninja and Koyuki bringing up the rear. Once they were inside, the doors slammed shut and dim lights began illuminating the area.

Multitudes of people were in front of them. Endless numbers of them.

"What are they all doing in here…?" Sakura started, only for Sasuke's hand to appear in front of her.

"Look closer. None of them are moving."

True to his words, apart from them, nothing was moving at all. Half of these statues looked so lifelike, it was very easy to mistake them while others were more natural stone-based ones. All of them were set up like exhibits in a museum, each one depicting a different setting and scenario. The first one was a group of civilians tied to the group about to be decapitated by Samurai. The second one was a group of Snow Ninja tied to two bent twos to be torn apart. The third were a group of castle retainers tied to stakes with men about to light them on fire. In each case, the victims were the lifelike replicas with the executioners the stone counterparts.

At the base were small plaques, talking about each exhibit. The first read 'Rebels hiding Saati Koukennin'. The second was 'Mikata's Agents Brought to Justice.' The third was 'Plotting against the Rightful Ruler'. Several lines of text were below each labels, describing the encounters and how they were resolved.

"These… each of these…" Sakura said slowly, her brain working to comprehend all this. "They're your history…"

"That's right. Each time is document whenever someone tried to stand up to Doto. From the very beginning." Hisomu started to say, only to stop when he saw Naruto slowly walking towards the nearest one. His face had sunken in slightly, as his nosed moved.

"…I… I… _smell _them! Oh Kami… Hisomu… are they _STILL ALIVE?_"

"STOP!" Hisomu warned.

Too late. Naruto took that extra step towards the first exhibit. Immediately, horrible screams and pleas filled his mind. Images of Samurai using their katanas to slice through the necks of their victims and he swore he could _feel _the blades cutting through his own neck again and again…

The images and sounds vanished as Hisomu pulled him back. Naruto was deathly white as he began touching his neck all over, as if expecting his head to fall off his shoulders.

"This place is a tomb," Hisomu said quietly. "From the beginning, Doto has collected the bodies of all those that have opposed him. Young and old, adult and child, shinobi, samurai or citizen. Akufu will heal and restore the bodies to near perfect condition and then preserve them in a special jutsu, so in a way, yes, they are still alive. It would be more accurate to say they are trapped; neither fully dead nor alive. Doomed to stay frozen in the moment of their death, forever feeling the fear and terror as their lives are cut away. And to top it all off, special seals are placed to broadcast those last, fleeting memories upon those that come across them.

"_This _is the Hell Asylum: A giant maze of those that stood up to Doto and were cut down. People thrown in here have to navigate to the other side. With each step being hit by the memories of the dead, going all the way to the finale – a recreation of the night Doto took over with the death of Sousetsu-sama himself."

All four of the people took a step back and looked back at the steel door. "Don't try it," Hisomu warned. "Even if you do manage to break through it somehow, it'll just rig the entire place to collapse. We'll be dead and buried before we can even blink and the other ways are still blocked."

Koyuki was breathing hard, desperately looking down but seemingly incapable of looking at all those that had died in the name of her father.

And her.

That's when a sharp pain came to her neck as she crumbled to the floor. Hisomu looked to see Sasuke standing over the princess. "… if we have to go through this." He said quietly, picking up Koyuki. "No need for _all _of us to suffer this." He looked at the Shinobi of the Snow. "Is there a way through?"

"There is. It's impossible to go through without activating each of the exhibits. The trick is to head through the ones that'll _least _affect you. I know the path that's less damning." He looked on ahead. "So steel yourselves: there are 59 different exhibits, totaling one thousand, four hundred and seventy eight individuals who tried to do what you are doing and paid the ultimate price. We will be hitting thirteen of them with a hundred different deaths."

Without another word, the four Shinobi began making their way through Hell as that song started up again with the second verse.

It wasn't so laughable anymore.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) And so the next chapter ends! The Revolution is well under way, help has arrived in the vanquished Snow Ninja – and if any of you remember any of those characters from the Big Melee, extra congrats! – Makino shows off his stuff and Doto's a real ass. Quite the chapter, wouldn't you say? Be sure to throw some thanks Tellemicus way for helping fine tune several aspects here!

On another note, it's come to my attention that there are some readers out there who feel that this story uses far too much coarse language. Legacy Naruto here has always had a foul mouth on him and since I use a lot more dialogue that Tellemicus does, obviously such language is going to be more commonplace. I'm just trying to make sure I hold true to the character Tellemicus set up.

That being said, if there really is a problem with the harsh language in this, by all means TELL ME. That's what the Review section is for. I have no problems toning it down if some people think it's going to far. Just let me know and I'll act on it accordingly, don't make me discover this myself.

No jutsu list here, despite all the fighting going on. No real new jutsu are being used by the ordinary Snow ninja, and Akufu and Makino's moves are… well… fill in your own explanation on what you think they're doing. Good luck with that! ^_^

Yes, it's not supposed to make sense or be comprehensible. Will I give an explanation for them? Only if I feel like it. All I will say is that their methods _are _different from each other.

Shounetsujigoku – Burning Hell  
Ryuuki – Rising  
Hoshi – Star

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	25. Out in the Open

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 25–Out in the Open_

**Black Fang Castle, Hell Asylum**

**8:38 pm**

Seven minutes. That's how long it took for the small group of ninja to run through the Hell Asylum to the exit. Seven minutes of passing exhibits depicting the deaths of people who had stood up to Doto during his ten year reign and were killed for their efforts. The reasons stated on the plaques for why these people fought back ranged from expected actions such as revolting, to seemingly petty nuisances like refusing to go to work. The horrors that Doto used on each of these groups need not be discussed or explained. Anything possibly stated would merely reinforce what was already known: Doto was a cold and heartless man who enjoyed butchering those he called enemies.

What will be stated are three facts learned by Team 7 during their nightmarish run.

The first was that had they not had a guide, they would have been lost in here for hours. Constantly running around, being affected by the dying moments of all those entombed in this place. The second was the discovery of an empty lot, dedicated to Sandyuu and his men when the bodies were recovered.

The third was the night of the coup and Sousetsu's death. This one, they deliberately stopped at much to Hisomu's dismay. After everything they learned and seen in the Snow Country, there was a silent acknowledgement between the three genin. They wanted to see what had happened, wanted to know what had brought this about.

As one, they took a step forward and relieved a nightmare that had never ended.

**Black Fang Castle Courtyard**

**Same time**

Explosions ranged throughout the stone battlements and wooden buildings. Over thirty Yuki-nin proceeded to fight against their fellows and those of the samurai stationed here. An ice tiger slammed into one kunoichi's chest, sending her following off the wall and down the deep cliff face to her doom. Two Samurai stabbed another shinobi through the chest, only for it to be revealed as an Ice Clone as the original ninja lopped off their heads from behind… seconds after being punctured with kunai.

And the blood leapt from the dying Murasaki as his final act, wrapping around the necks of the three Loyalists and snapping their necks, before he himself ceased breathing.

Several explosions collided, building off one another as several Loyalists were thrown into the air. Flipping around to regain themselves as they bit their thumbs. As soon as their feet touched the ground, they slammed their hands in unison. Smoke erupted around them, revealing the forms of a dozen forty meter tall wolves, each of them snarling blood as they looked upon the traitors deemed as 'prey.'

In response, one of the rebels jumped down next to Shiroikuma Kugi, forming seals.

"Ninpou: Yeti! Cho Baika no Jutsu!"

"Hyouton: Aisu Jaianto no Jutsu!"

Ice began collecting forming a fifty meter tall ice armored Samurai standing next to a hundred meter tell Yeti.

A primal roar came from the makeshift Yeti's mouth, accepting the challenge of the Wolf pack as the battle of giants commenced.

**Grand Hall **

Michy rushed forward and slashed with his katana with a Broken Samurai. Their blades pushed against one another as a Snow Shinobi jumped over head, blasting the former man with a wind blast. Ken was twirling knives in his hands like a pro. Each knife he threw embedded itself in the neck of an enemy. Hidero had picked up a spear, smacking the butt of the weapon into every Broken he could. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kaijo running over all like a maniac, tears flooding out of his eyes as a deformed Snow Ninja chased him all over, like a starving man after a jackrabbit. Hidero turn around and hurled his borrowed weapon as hard as he could. Kaijo screamed like a little girl (severely wetting himself) as he ducked, the polearm hitting the Broken Ninja square between the eyes. The neck snapped back so hard he fell flat on his back. Two Snow Samurai shoved their weapons in its chest immediately after, pinning their lost countryman to the ground.

At the doorway, Makino stood in front of it with the keen impression of an iron wall. Two broken shinobi were rushing him hurling kunai as they did. Not at him but at the door way. With a swift movement from his left foot, he kicked a fallen chair, directly in the path of those kunai. He jumped into the air and kicked the thing back, plowing it so hard, it crashed into the two former men, sending them flying across the hall in Akufu's direction. The snow hag didn't so much as blink as the two men and flying furniture passed her.

Steam blew from the old woman's nose like she was a bull. Indeed, she looked ready to charge forward like one. Instead she raised her hand over her head. Damaged kunai, swords, even pieces of armor flew towards her hand, collecting upon themselves and merging into a double-bladed naginata.

At once, each of the remaining Broken stopped in their tracks and fell back to each side of Akufu. All looking ready to charge. Instinctively, the movie crew and snow personnel that still had their own mind began bunching up on either side of Makino.

Both sides ready for a final charge to end this.

"I grow tired of this." Akufu spoke. Her voice wasn't its old cranky version that had been previously. It sounded more like a woman in her early twenties. She began spinning double sided naginata with green flames springing to life once more. Green fire flowed around her in damning circles as the full weight her chakra suddenly hit the entire room, which made everyone feel the need to _really _take a long bath. It wasn't normal chakra… nor did it seem anything like a Bijuu's either.

Many of the movie crew began crying at fear, and more than one begged Makino to open the doors so they could flee. And the ninja supporting them couldn't disagree. The old director merely stood his ground as if deaf as he took two pills from his pocket and lopped them in his mouth.

That's when the green fire flung towards four of the Broken Ninja, each of them a former Jounin. No sound of pain came from the former men's mouths, but the way their bodies suddenly jerked from coming in contact with the flames made it clear if they could have**,** they would have screamed in pain.

The four burning Broken took off in a mad rush towards the normal humans in the room. Several of the Snow Ninja prepared a jutsu but in the time they took to form their seals, Makino has already threw several objects at the Broken Ninja. What looked like misshapen coal rocks hit the chest of each broken, bursting open, secreting a green like liquid. The strange liquid constricted on the four burning men, causing each of them to fall to the ground as the flames finishing them off.

But that was what Akufu was hoping for. The instant her foe had acted, she did as well. The first of her green flames rushed forward in a frenzy towards the opposite end of the hallway. As Makino was in the middle of a motion, he was unable to act. Adrenaline surges triggered the flight or fight response in everyone else around him and they all jumped away towards the side walls.

The green flames continued snaking along, then branching out into two lines at the edge of the big oak doorways, blasting up the frames, then to the ceiling, cutting off everyone inside those two lines of flames: Makino… and Akufu, along with every broken soldier she had left. The remaining Ninja and movie crew huddled against the walls, unable to get closer.

Trapped.

More green fire burst at the old woman's feet as she gave a battlecry, riding the flames like a surfer towards her prey, each of the Broken flanking her as they all rushed towards the lone Makino. The former Samurai and Shinobi hurled everything they could at him from kunai to helmets in a barrage that even Maito Gai would had found difficult to dodge.

Makino managed to avoid or block the first few projectiles, but a kunai found its mark, burying itself in his right shoulder. The second he extracted and knocked it aside, two shuriken came in and hit him in the left leg and right hand.

"BOSS!"

Try as he might to avoid, he simply couldn't avoid them all and with the walls of flames, he had nowhere to run. A dart hit his lower stomach, a sword piercing his right foreman, a spear pierced his left foot, further pinning him down.

Seeing this, the Snow Ninja began firing whatever Ice Jutsu they could at the advancing horde on the old man. Only about half of those jutsu that were able to break through the green flaming walls, and Akufu deliberately used the broken as human shields against those that did manage to get through. It was clearly wearing down the Broken numbers, but Akufu herself was untouched in her deadly charge, clearly not caring at all as her 'men' fell around her.

But it seemed for each warrior that fell in that charge, Makino took another hit.

Ten feet away from Makino, Akufu only had a dozen or so Broken left with her. At that moment, Makino breathed out fire towards them.

"Those pills!"Kaijo shouted, remembering what the man had swallowed prior.

Makino's homemade fire struck the advancing enemy, colliding with Akufu herself and erupting in a big explosion. It shook the very foundations of the Great Hall, hurling both man and merchandise into the cold, stone walls.

But before the smoke even cleared, six Broken rushed out, the others having been once again sacrificed as human shields. Akufu had half of her faceburned from the attack but her clothes were barely scorched. However, every fiber of her being was now focused completely on the director.

Acting on this, two shinobi – one Loyalist and one rebel – charged forward towards the green walls that separated them. The heat made them sweat fiercely as their heavy clothes worked against them, each preparing their next strike to stop the mad woman. However, the woman's katana stretched out like taffy, killing both at once. Shrieking like a mad woman, she spun her weapon around and slashed Makino – his body still riddled with weapons and his entire chest area was covered in blood, his right arm broken and useless, his left arm was bent in an unnatural shape and both legs horribly mangled – down the chest.

"**KILL HIM!**" Akufu roared

The man clenched his teeth in an effort to stop himself from screaming, his glasses hiding the silent horror in his eyes as many yelled 'MAKINO!' as the Broken closed in. The first one stuck its spear in his gut. Makino whipped his arm around, knocking the 'man' in front of another, making the two collide. The third broken reared back it's club and slammed it down on Makino's skull. The director merely lunged forward with a headbutt, making the Broken fall flat on the ground, making two others trip over it. The final one, wielding two long knives, hit Makino in an open wound. Somehow, Makino managed to kick the man directly, the Broken flying into the green flames incinerating him.

That's when Akufu herself appeared in front of the man, her right hand glowing black as before as shoved it against Makino's chest.

"I got you this – " Akufu started to brag but Makino's body lurched forward as he lips pressed themselves against hers.

Needless to say _**everyone**_**'s **eyes flew open at this.

The old woman's face flushed a more natural shade of red. Insulted, embarrassed and ultimate humiliation reached new levels as she backhanded Makino away, slamming him against the doorways he was protecting.

That's when a smile slowly, but surely, appeared on Makino's face.

"Keep that camera rolling."

The movie crew and even their ninja and samurai allies came within an ant's width of face-faulting right then and there as Makino reared his head back, looking at the ceiling as though they were the heaven's themselves.

"The Konoha No Gogyou… _**WILL PREVAIL**_!"

Those last two words he shouted with every last bit of strength of the man could manage. Then his body slouched, sliding down the doors he was protecting until he hit the floor, his arms useless at his side and his legs still managing a sitting position, his head toppling forward against his chest. Had it not been for all the blood, it would had looked like he was sleeping.

Shouts of his name mixed with shouts of disbelief erupted from those around the fallen man. Akufu barely heard them retracting her blades to their initial size. A cheeky grin appeared on her face as she reared back her weapon…

… then froze on the spot.

Her eyes shot open wide as she tried to move and failed miserably. "Nani?" She squeaked out in sheer shock. She willed her body to move, but it would not comply.

Then she remembered. Makino had taken _two _pills! Only one had been used for that flame attack, the other was some kind of nerve toxin! No wonder he had refused to scream out in pain despite all those attacks! He had carefully kept those pills in his mouth until he was ready to use them… and used that kiss to deposit the second one in her!

NO! This could NOT be happening! He was right there, just asking for her to chop off his head! She would not be denied her… that's when her thoughts left her as she felt her body give a brief shake. It took 1.2 seconds for her to register what was happen and her faced showed complete horror.

_Oh No!_

The pill was interfering with her chakra. She felt it being clogged up and waning. The white glove slipped off her free hand, revealing dozens of small seals inscribed inside it. At the same time, the green flames slowly started to die off as her chakra was cut off. She desperately willed it to remain, seeing the angry and sad faces all glaring at her… and all her Broken were smashed thanks to her reckless pursuit of this devil of a man!

Despite how much she wanted it to remain, the green fire walls died away. Many rushed towards the fallen Makino, medical ninja among them. Suigen Kiganai, however, was the first to leap forward at her, wearing his metal claws with that Leech Ice on those blades as he came right towards her.

"JASHIN-SAMA!" Akufu called out in desperation.

No answer came as Kiganai slashed the immobile witch across the chest. The ice attached themselves to her body and began sucking the blood, warmth and chakra out of her. Kiganai formed more of his clan's specialized ice and slashed at her again… and again.

Youba Akufu screamed as the leech encase began engulfing her entire body, sucking up every bit of energy they could from her. She shriveled more and more with each inch the ice encompassed her until she was a completely withered husk trapped inside ice, her face frozen in a silent plea for help.

It took her fifteen minutes to die.

**Hallway of Black Fang**

**Sasuke**

After finally exiting the Hell Asylum (the hidden exit turned out to be underneath the mock up Sousetsu's throne in the coup recreation ) and waking up Koyuki, they continued towards Doto's throne room, the most likely place he would be in a crisis according to their makeshift Loyalist/Guardian guide.

As the Snow Ninja had worked here, he knew exactly where to go and the best ways to avoid any potential conflicts or traps. Still, some of the fighting came across their way. One Snow Ninja slammed another one into the stone wall before running down the hallway, the group having no idea if the winner was a rebel or a loyalist.

"Alright," Hisomu said abruptly as they came to a stop at a junction to the left and right. "Either way will take us to the throne room, we just need to secure both routes, then we can hit Doto."

"Sounds like a plan," Sakura looking both directions. "Start with left or right hallway?"

"Let's hit both, meet up in the center." Sasuke said.

"Split up?" Naruto summarized his sole eye narrowing slightly as he considered it. He slapped his hands together and rubbed them. "Yeah, you're right. It's time to just go for it and to hell with planning. Guess I'll go with – "

"Enrai and I will go left, you three go right," Sasuke interrupted.

Everyone looked at him. Because of that, none of the others saw the Snow Ninja reflexively grip his chokuto.

"Need to divide up and play on what we have. Naruto's chakra may still be sealed, but his nose still works… assuming he didn't lose _that _ability and isn't just deadweight now…"

"I _CAN _still beat the crap out of you, Kizuato."

"And that's a 'yes'," Sakura said, giggling under her breath.

"Naruto can smell, I can use my Sharingan to scan. Best way to identify trouble. Naruto's worked with Enrai here already, we need to mix up so everyone can work efficiently together." Sasuke went on.

It was reasonable. Logical even. No one argued and it was a sound plan.

And they, with the possible exception with Koyuki, knew it was still complete bullshit.

Sasuke was positive Sakura had figured it out, and while Naruto may have not known the details, he was beginning to get the jist of everything. Koyuki was just looking at the four ninja in turn, she seemed to be realizing that something was out of place.

So they separated, Sasuke and Hisomu going down the left wing passage, the others down the right. Sasuke let Hisomu take the lead. Once they got ten meters down the hallway, Sasuke said. "Alright, that's far enough."

Hisomu looked over his shoulder. "Sasuke-san, we need to – "

"Don't insult my intelligence. You already know what's going on. Drop the act, Taigi."

The man didn't respond at first. He just looked at the boy. "I guess I should have said something when you called me 'Enrai', which I didn't tell to you or the girl. What gave me away?"

"Does it matter?"

"I suppose not. So, what do you want, Uchiha?"

"I'm getting the truth out of you. What's your angle? Are you with those other Snow Ninja, or you just waiting to stab me and my team in the back and give our heads to Doto?"

Taigi's eyes seemed to bore directly into the Uchiha boy. His hand came up and he removed the hood and pulled down the face mask as he had done before. Sasuke's eyes once again looked at the scar that cut across his cheek and through his left ear. "I want Doto's head. I also want yours, but I'm willing to put that aside until the job is done. There are enough opponents already without us turning on each other."

"So you expect me to just sit back and wait for an 'ally,'" Sasuke made sure the contempt was heard in his voice. "to cut my throat in the midst of all this chaos?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"The others are down the other hallway. I estimate we have about two minutes before we'll have to reconvene. You want my hide for killing your lover, fine. I want you off my back." He shifted into a fighting stance. "And unlike last time, I'm at full strength. I'll only need one minute for you."

"I'm not that weak. As I recall, _I_ won our previous encounter." Taigi took a deep breath as his eyes glanced down the hallway and then at the Leaf genin himself. "A fight between us like this will take more than two minutes. Tell me Uchiha, how confident are you with your sword?"

Sasuke's hand clasped around the hilt of his third (or was it fourth? He had no idea) borrowed weapon. A katana was still largely unfamiliar to him. The blade was slightly too long, it's weight uncomfortable on his hand and had no formal training at all, having to rely on his Sharingan and basic weapon training. "Confident enough."

He wasn't positive if Taigi bought his bravado or not. But he did raise an eyebrow when he pulled out the scroll Sasuke knew contained his other blades. "Time's of the essence. Sword to sword. No Ninjutsu. No tech. No bloodlines."

Before Sasuke could say another word, Taigi reached behind him and tossed his Chakra Pack to the side. The Shin Guards followed next, followed by the gauntlets and finally the standard weapon holsters. Sasuke gave a smirk with more confidence than he actually felt as he took off his own weapon's holster and tossed it, keeping the katana in his hands.

Taigi's scroll summoned his two normal katanas as he placed his chokuto in his mouth as before. The second his other two blades were in his grasp - reverse style once more - he charged forward at the Uchiha. "Santoryu: Biisuto Kyoubou!"

Blades came slashing at Sasuke from seemingly every direction. Sasuke's sword danced side to side, intercepting with sparks flying from each blow. He kept a constant pace backwards so Taigi couldn't close in on him with all the wild blows. Even without the Sharingan on, Sasuke prided himself on being able to analyze and read his opponent. Just waiting for the right moment…

It came as Taigi crossed his two hand blades like a pair of scissors and slashed. At that moment, Sasuke dropped his weight, allowing gravity to pull him to the ground. As the swords hit thin air where his throat had been, he kicked off the wall behind him and lunged forward shooting past the Snow Ninja. He stamped his left foot to the ground and kicked off aiming for the man's back.

That's when the man's foot hit Sasuke's wrist. The Uchiha heir felt his arm flung up, his sword flying out of his grasp. Taigi hopped around, bringing about his other foot and kicking the boy across the chest. The blow propelled him into the opposite wall, stunning him for a brief moment. His sword clattered next to him.

Taigi's form came at him, as Sasuke forced himself to roll on the ground, collecting his weapon as he did, just missing the man's dual swords by several hair's width.

"I thought it was swords only." Sasuke accused jumping back to his feet.

"I said 'Ninjutsu, Tech and Bloodlines.' Taijutsu's not in the list."

"Perhaps you should try being a lawyer, not a ninja."

Taigi's only answer was to charge once more. "Santoryu: Biisuto Keiteki!"

He brought both of his hand blades together, pointing straight forward, mimicking an animal horn as the name suggested. This time, Sasuke ran forward to met the attack, swinging his blade around and slamming the hilt of his katana against the dual points. This action caught Taigi off guard, and Sasuke further capitalized on it, using the full amount of his strength and forcing his opponent's blades upward.

Naturally, this also forced Sasuke's arms and sword upward but as he expecting it, he was ready. Shifting the blade around, he adjusted his grip and swung it downward towards Taigi's chest. The Snow Ninja whipped his head around, his mouth sword clashing with Sasuke's strike. The Uchiha was astonished at how much force was in the blow and found himself off balance. And by this time, Taigi had regained momentum for his hand swords and slashed downward at Sasuke.

Sasuke barely had time to put his hand on the ground and flip away from the strikes. Sweat was beginning to trickle down his face as it was becoming apparent that this might not had been such a good idea. Need to thi-

He didn't even get the chance to finish his thought process as Taigi was already coming at him, swinging his swords like a madman. Sasuke backtracked as fast as he could, blocking as best as he was able. This time, any time he got near a wall, Taigi cut him off and forced him back into the open space of the hallway. Sooner or later, he was going to get tired—

That's when Sasuke's foot slipped on some loose rocks.

—or make a mistake.

Sasuke's false bravado was swept away, every facial feature screaming 'OH SHIT!' as Taigi's foot connected squarely with Sasuke's jaw. His head snapped back and he was back on the ground before he knew it. Taigi's foot came down and stomped on Sasuke's chest in repeated succession.

"Come on, Uchiha! Get off your ass and fight back!" Taigi roared, the fire from their previous fight returning full force.

Sasuke's only response was to keep grunting in pain. His chest was aching tremendously and breathing was much harder. In desperation, he picked up the same loose rocks he tripped on and hurled them at Taigi's face. The man's left sword swatted them away with pathetic ease.

But in that moment, the kicking stopped and Sasuke offered up his own. His foot planted itself in the young man's rear, catapulting the man into the stone wall head first.

The blow stunned the Yuki-nin, but Sasuke wasn't much better as he picked himself up, cursing himself for allowing him to agree to such ridiculous terms because his pride told him he could win. The man was faster with a sword, more experienced, had _three_ of them, and hadn't been fighting all day.

An obvious conclusion came to his mind. Which mattered more: his pride or his life?

And he hated himself for knowing which he would say 'yes' to.

Taigi rubbed his face and looked back at his foe, ready to strike again. Sasuke steady himself as he held his sword up shoulder level, blade parallel to the ground.

"You're thinking of coming at me with a thrust at full speed and strength." Taigi commented, twirling his hand swords around. "A dangerous and foolish move for an amateur like yourself."

"Only if I'm not faster than you," Sasuke countered.

That seemed to strike a nerve and Taigi looked less certain. Through mixture of determination and wanting payback, he gripped his swords harder, preparing to meet Sasuke's charge with his own.

A fraction of a second later, they both dashed at each other, blades ready. Sasuke's stab went forward as Taigi brought his own weapons down Sasuke. "Santoryu: Biisuto Wana."

A Sword Breaker Technique.

Just as Sasuke anticipated.

Moments before their blades clashed, Sasuke's Sharingan snapped on. He allowed his blade be caught between Taigi's right hand sword and his mouth sword. Twisting his hands around, Sasuke's katana snapped into two pieces, the broken piece of blade hurling through the air. With the now suddenly shorter blade, Sasuke's strike moved past Taigi's swords, hitting him across the chest with the flat part of the blade. Nearly at the same moment, he kicked Taigi's hands sending the two normal sized katanas flying through the air. Not giving Taigi a chance to recover, he rotated his lighter weapon around and slammed the butt of the hilt the young man's stomach.

Taigi nearly doubled over, but Sasuke's next uppercut still found its target. Taigi was on the ground before he knew it, his chokuto off to the side as Sasuke's foot slammed down on the Chuunin's chest, the broken katana pointed at his throat. "Broken or not, this can still cut. You lose."

"… You not only used your Kekkei Genkai, you sacrificed your weapon for victory. No swordsman would have done that brat."

"I'm not swordsman; I'm a _shinobi_." Sasuke said. Then he pulled back his blade and removed his foot, reaching his free hand towards the Snow Shinobi.

"But you are a shinobi. And a swordsman. Throughout the fight, you kept your word. You stuck strictly to swordsmanship." _That's more than I can say_, Sasuke thought to himself, disgusted with himself that he had to break the pact in order to win. He definitely needed to work on this pride issue.

"You also had more than one chance to use killing blows, but you were careful of those since we both have enemies about. You never forgot what comes after this battle. You acted like a true swordsman, shinobi… and a better man than I." Those last words were uttered under his breath and Sasuke had to fight off the urge to avoid looking at Taigi.

Taigi gave a small laugh. "Defeating me and complimenting me, Uchiha?"

"If it matters to you that much, the scores even. One victory apiece. If you want another fight to square everything, I'll meet you later. So…what do you say?"

Taigi clasped Sasuke's hand and the teenager pulled him to his feet. Sasuke looked at the remains of his katana and tossed it over his shoulder. "Probably wouldn't be a good swordsman anyway. I keep breaking them." He muttered to himself as he reclaimed his kunai pouch.

"They say that the Uchiha clan was the massacred and the culprit was your brother." Sasuke's head turned around to see Taigi looking at him as he began reclaiming his equipment. He seemed… deflated somehow. Completely exhausted.

"What about it?"

"Your brother is the reason why you seek revenge and were so bitter. _My_ brother… is the reason why I'm still alive."

His real name really was Hisomu, of the Enrai clan. Enrai had never been a powerful or influential clan, but they were regarded as solid as stone: standing their ground and never wavering. He was the second child of the family, eleven months younger than his brother, Taigi.

They had been close when they were younger but as they grew older, they drifted a little. That gap grew wider when Hisomu was accepted into the Saati Koukennin as opposed to Taigi. Taigi in turn, got in closer to Doto's slowly growing fraction in Yukigakure.

On the night of the coup, Hisomu had been on border patrol with the rest of the Guardians, making sure Mist wasn't attacking. In the course of one night, he went from a respected member of Yukigakure's honor guard to a labeled traitor. He did not know if Taigi had taken part in the coup directly, all he did know was that afterwards, Taigi was deemed a Loyalist.

They were enemies.

Hisomu had not believed any of Doto's accusations towards Mikata or Sousetsu, so he fought back to restore their names. A war, he soon came to realize, was a losing effect. A cry of an old man wanting to continue living in the present but had long outgrown in.

Five years into the strife, he had been cornered by his brother and for the first real time, they fought each other, holding nothing back. And Taigi won, scaring his brother's face and cutting off a portion of his left ear in the process.

But instead of killing his brother, he dropped his weapons and hugged him, apologizing for being stubborn and thickheaded, allowing the two to reconcile their past. He shoved his Loyalist Medallion into Hisomu, speaking his final sentence.

"It's the older brother's duty to protect the younger."

Hisomu later learned that while Taigi had won the fight, he had taken a fatal wound. And instead of hating his younger brother for it, he instead gave him a way out. While the two weren't twins, they did closely resemble each other to the point where only close family could really tell the difference. On top of the fact that the standard Yuki-nin attire included a hood and facial mask.

They switched places, with Taigi assuming his identity. In his final moments, he ran back towards his own comrades and died fighting Nadare, being killed in his place.

Hisomu had never felt lower in his life than that moment. Because he took the coward's way out and assumed his brother's identity, dropping the name 'Hisomu' even in his internal thoughts and becoming 'Taigi.' He justified it by saying it was logical. Taigi had been the victor and Hisomu the loser; it wasn't right for Taigi to die and for Hisomu to live.

But mostly, he wanted out of the dying war that his comrades fought in. And all he had to do was turn his back on the lingering survivors and hunt them.

For two years until the last Saati Koukennin was killed.

He avoided his clan and former close friends. He became a loner, the stone supporter to Doto. The others believed the act, feeling that killing family would tear the soul. During all that time, only one person discovered the truth, twenty months prior to the present day. The local Fire Psycho.

But instead of turning him in, she helped him through it. Two "outcasts", one deemed a local hothead, the other a hiding coward. For the first time since he assumed his brother's identity, he felt truly alive, that he really was worthy of living.

He had first spotted them when they landed that morning and did his best to mislead all the Snow Teams from discovering them. He sabotaged his own team's radios, so they wouldn't be able to support Alpha Team's strike on them. He had abandoned his comrades, his mission and his allegiances. He saw saving the lost Snow Princess, the daughter of his esteemed lord as a small way to make up for his cowardice.

But it all went to hell when Shiga died at the Leaf Ninja's hand.

The one person that could understand him was gone. As he did in the past, he turned his back on his duties in favor of ending the Uchiha bastard.

And he felt worse off as a result.

"I thought I had killed you…and I didn't feel any better. I just felt worse off. Not just because I once again abandoned the principals and oaths I had once sworn, not because I followed vengeance to get you and leaving her body in the wilderness… But because you three… young shinobi, outsiders, were doing what I should had been doing all along. And you were even succeeding." The man shook his head. "You know what? Revenge really doesn't help even if you achieve it. It just makes you feel emptier because your goal is gone and nothing has changed."

"Hisomu…"

"My name is Taigi. 'Hisomu' died years ago. I owe my brother that much." Taigi said, turning his back.

"If you really owe your brother that much, then live the life he gave you." Sasuke said quietly. "Label that life however you want, but live it. Don't throw it away."

Taigi didn't answer to that as they came back to the converging hallways, Koyuki, Naruto and Sakura already there. "What happened to you two?" Naruto demanded. Sakura took a look at the Snow Ninja and noticed the sliced ear, her eyes immediately darting to Sasuke, asking the silent question.

"Had to deal with a meddlesome Yuki-nin. He won't be a problem anymore." Sasuke replied, a slight smirk on his face.

The shinobi of the Snow merely chuckled. "Hai. That particular Snow Ninja won't be bothering anyone anymore."

**Doto's Throne Room**

Doto sat on top of his throne, clutching the right arm of the magnificent seat. The veins in his forehead looked ready to pop like an overcooked hotdog and had it been any other person, they would have by now. The only reason Doto hadn't let it all out was because there were appearances to maintain.

But appearances or not, his internal thoughts were another matter entirely!

How in the bloody, _fucking _hell did this happen?

The Leaf Genin he expected to make a racket. The wild, idiotic youngsters that had plagued him over the course of this day. Brave children, no one was denying that. A certain amount of damage had been expected from them.

Orochimaru had been a slightly different matter. No one in Snow had fully prepared to trust him. The Sand Village showed what happened when fools did so, but the potential the Snake offered had been too good to pass up. They just hadn't expected to be betrayed _so soon_. It didn't even make sense for Orochimaru to do so now! The Uchiha brat was still loose! What else did the bastard expect to claim by sabotaging their efforts now?

And while both of these had been foreseen, if not miscalculated, the _third _headache had not! Where the hell did these rebels come from! He was _positive _he had exterminated the last of them with that last retainer – what was his name again? Sand Dyu? It was so easy to lose track of them all – of his brother and his little group. Who were these new individuals? What did it take to finally stamp out all these pathetic radicals and establish his order?

A thought occurred to him when he realized he hadn't had an update from Akufu yet. He looked at the radio system built into the throne arm. She had hundreds of Samurai and dozens of Snow Ninja with her in the Great Hall. Against messily little _movie producers_. No… no, no, no, _**NO**_! She could _not _have lost as well! Not that witch! The image of that "director" flashed in his mind and the piece of throne he was clutching crumpled apart.

Suddenly an explosion rocked his entire throne room blasting apart the doors and nearly made the two Chuunin guards piss themselves. Glancing over, two swift figures dashed into a room little more than blurs.

Orange and blue blurs.

The Kyuubi brat, Uzumaki Naruto

The last of his clan, Uchiha Sasuke

In near perfect symmetry both blurs slammed a fist into a Yuki-nin's stomach, snapped kicked upward to their chins, knocking them to the ground. The two Leaf-nin somersaulted in the air and slam their foot on the downed Snow shinobi faces'.

They would not be getting up anytime soon, if at all.

Doto merely narrowed his eyes as both boys looked up at him, a controlled look of confidence in their eyes. The sort of look you would see in the final portion of a sporting event where the winning team had a significant lead, with no fear of the losing team catching up.

Both boys stepped past his useless ninja and sure enough, more figures arrived. The girl came strolling right behind them, followed by one of the Snow Ninja traitors and finally his niece. He gave her one quick look, the silent question passing between them.

Unnoticed by the shinobi, she gave a slight nod.

_Excellent_.

Doto's mood was _**finally**_ starting to improve.

**Sasuke**

"I suppose this is the part where you expect me yell in anger." Doto's voice came booming down on them as he picked himself up from his throne.

"Or you can tremble in terror. I'm not picky." Naruto replied, cracking his knuckles in anticipation.

"It's over, Doto," Sakura said. She made a gesture to Taigi beside her. "You've lost. Your castle is coming down, your men are turning their backs on you, and you have nowhere to escape."

"And why would I want to escape?" Doto replied smugly. Sasuke didn't like this. The man was a bit too smug. He had some sort of hidden ace up his sleeve, but what?

Doto went on, oblivious to the Uchiha's thought process. "You three have caused me a _great_ deal of trouble. More than those blasted Saati Koukennin ever did. However, it's all been for naught. Isn't that right…Koyuki?"

Before any of them could say anything, Koyuki ran past them towards her uncle. Taigi's mouth fell right open, Sakura jerked as if she had been dunked in cold water. Naruto's sole working eye flung wide as it could. Sasuke himself felt his chest constrict on itself.

All this effort… all this suffering… _all for this two-faced bitch, _and she stabbed them in the back!

Koyuki looked back at them, a mischievous smile on her face and the Hex Crystal in her hand. "This shouldn't be a surprise to any of you. I mean, _really_, I'm an actress, aren't I?"

In that moment, Sasuke realized what she was doing and he didn't even need his Sharingan to read the subtle body language. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto's face dawn in realization, that eye going from 'wide shock' to 'disapproving disbelief'. Sakura apparently also picked up on it, judging from her own body language, though he had little idea what tipped her off. Whatever was going through Taigi's mind was a mystery.

"There you have it," Doto gloated as Koyuki handed him the Crystal. "Another brilliant performance by the _great Fujikaze Yukie."_

Koyuki reached into her sleeve. "Yes, _just an act_."

Pulling out a tanto, the Snow Princess spun around and shoved it into Doto's chest. Doto's face changed to faint horror as he gazed down at the knife in his chest. His large hand clasped around Koyuki's throat. "You wretched - !"

"Koyuki!" Naruto and Taigi shouted.

"It's alright…" Koyuki managed to chock out. "I always knew… this would happen… if I returned…"

She never got the next word out because Doto's fist tightened at that moment. Taigi dashed forward, pulling out his two normal katana while Sasuke snapped his Sharingan on, utilizing its hypnotic abilities right on the Daimyou. Perhaps he could…

The Sharingan's power scattered about like autumn leaves, leaving Sasuke more dumbstruck than Koyuki's "betrayal" earlier.

Both Koyuki and Doto tumbled off from the top of his throne stairway, a good ten meter drop. Taigi, already further ahead than the Leaf Ninja, rushed towards the falling duo, his swords out and ready to slice Doto's arm. Or perhaps throat.

Taigi's swords flashed out but in a surprisingly swift motion, Doto reposition himself in mid air and blocked with his left arm, while still holding Koyuki in his right. Taigi's blades shattered apart like glass. Capitalizing on his stunned subordinate's face, Doto's fist slammed into Taigi's chest.

He went _flying _backwards at incrediblespeeds, smashing right into the opposite stone wall and leaving a sizeable crater in his wake. Blood erupted like a volcano from his throat along with a cry of pure anguish before dropping to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

"JUST KIDDING! YOU AREN'T THE ONLY ONE IN THE FAMILY WHO KNOWS HOW TO ACT FOR THE SAKE OF DRAMTIC FLARE, MY DEAR NIECE!" Doto shouted with that unsettling laugh again.

Completely fine and unharmed. By this point, Koyuki had lost consciousness as he tossed her over his shoulder, his cloak falling to the floor from the action.

And confirming Sasuke's theory. No blood from the wound, or dripping from the man's mouth. Simply subduing Koyuki, rather than aiming for a killing strike after she attacked him. The controlled way he recovered from the 'fall', even that superhuman punch he landed on Gamabunta.

Doto was wearing Chakra Armor. Unlike the mismatch pieces that they had seen with Nadare, Fubuki and Mizore, this one was a single chest piece, with two sizeable gauntlets on his arms. While he was no blacksmith, even Sasuke could tell that the quality of this metal was several grades of higher caliber than even the San Eihei's.

"Like it?" Doto asked. "It's the latest prototype of the Chakra Armor. Designed by me personally. I'm not the Kagirinai Kachuu for nothing!" Wings unfolded from his back. "Now if you excuse me, I have a fortune to retrieve."

Instead of retorting, all three members of Team 7 charged forward towards the man. At the same moment, a vertical line appeared in the stairway of his throne, revealing a pair of doors opening up.

So that's why he had such a needlessly elaborate showcase for a throne; it was a concealed room for his bodyguards!

Right on cue, Nadare, Fubuki and Mizore all charged out towards their desired adversaries. At the snapping sound of Doto's fingers, strings appeared around each of their fingers and the entire room began shaking. The roof crumpled open, revealing an air passage as Doto flew off through it and into the night sky. Still barely alive, Taigi nudged his head up and managed to pull out some kunai with exploding tags as San Eihei and Team 7 clashed.

Uttering a slight prayer to the gods and his ancestors, Taigi moaned slightly as he hurled them at the San Eihei.

The explosion, combined from the collapsing throne room blasted Taigi through the wall and outside as he blacked out.

**Courtyard**

A huge makeshift fist slammed down on a wolf in front of the group, the summon howling in pain. Three more wolves slammed into the merged being's chest, knocking it back. Before the wolves could capitalize on this, the Ice Giant slapped them away.

Right as two wolves slashed at the Giant's heels. The Giant tumbled down with a thundering crash, still managing to catch two other wolves under its weight.

Another explosion erupted from the castle. What drew everyone's attention as the fact it came from Doto's throne room. The fighting momentarily paused as all the fighters glanced upward, noting the fallen debris and looking for any human figures in it.

Sure enough, they spotted a half dozen of them all in mid air. Two of them clashed in the air, resulting in another semi-explosion, hurling another two to the top of the castle proper, while the four came hurdling towards the ground and the gathered shinobi.

Automatically, the Kugi Yeti backhanded at the figures much like one would swoo away a fly. All four figures were batted into the opposite direction, arching high into the air towards the forest. Kugi barely was able to see that one of the figures took hold of a different one in a bear like hug, clearly intending to send the victim into a dive-bomb crash.

But what were the other pair doing?

**Forest**

**Sakura**

Haruno Sakura was still trying to piece together what just happened in the last thirty seconds. One moment she was standing in Doto's throne room, the next she's soaring in the air, out past the castle and into the forest. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the Snow Ninja falling directly in her direction.

Fuyukuma Mizore.

Sakura, in spite of herself, felt a rather heated emotion of passion. While part of her undoubtedly recalled the beating she had gotten from the large man back at the iceberg, it was dwarfed by what else she was currently feeling.

Anticipation.

Perhaps foolishly, she was _looking forward_ to a rematch. She wanted the chance to make up for what happened earlier and make him the one bleeding in the snow.

First thing she had to do was make sure she landed safely. Wiping out wire and a kunai, she pitched it to the closest tree she could, the shinobi knife embedding itself into the wood.

She almost jerked her arm out of its socket from the sharp recoil, swinging only half way before losing her grip entirely. She managed to grab the nearest tree branch with her hands, and flipped on through to stabilize herself.

Mizore, on the other hand, shot his metal hand out as it closed on his own tree branch, expecting to swing towards her. Getting on edge, Sakura quickly propelled herself from the tree branch, neatly avoiding his next strike that cleaved the tree branch in half.

As she controlled her fall to the cold covered earth, she began hurling at many of her kunai with the pouches.

The Profiteer easily brushed them aside as his snow board burst from his feet, now boarding toward her with the level of a professional, despite all the specialized kunai she hurled, small paper fluttering the air with each blow. She finally hit the ground, rolling along like some discarded doll. As she came to a stop, she held up a regular kunai with a normal exploding tag. "Sakura Fubuki no Jutsu. ENJOY!"

Mizore finally seemed to realize what all the littering paper in the air meant as the newest kunai hit the first of them. The tiny series of explosions built up in rapid succession with Mizore right in the center of it.

The Konoha kunoichi felt the heat from the explosion as she brought her arms in front of her.

"Almost youjo. _Almost._"

Sakura just looked on in disbelief as the smoke around Mizore began to disperse**.** The man stood calmly in the center. At the center of his chest, she saw something seem to crack and break apart, she hoped it was that power seal.

"I'll admit you caught me _and _my power seal. You've no doubt heard that if the power seal is destroyed, we lose a great deal of strength. However, my style is _taijutsu_. I don't rely as heavily on ninjutsu as my companions do, so the drain isn't as damning to me as it is to them. And then…"

At this point, the smoke from the explosions cleared entirely. The moonlight shined down on her foe, allowing her to see him clearly from the first time.

He had an entire set of _armor_ on. A full chest plate on his upper body, covering his back and front entirely. His nonmetallic arm was also heavily with armor plates and a thick looking gauntlet. His right arm was now sporting a new metallic arm, easily four times the size than the one she had seen at the iceberg. His legs were similarly protected with thick greaves and guards. Mizore waved his hand over his now power seal-less area and in a loud '_PUFF' _of smoke as a metal helmet with a full face visor appeared in his hands.

"This time…" Mizore continued placing the helmet on his head, his two beady eyes glaring out from the eye holes. "_I'm _ready for you."

Sakura just slumped dumbfounded, her arms just dangling by her side and her eyebrows twitching questioningly. _She _had been the one to get beaten down, questioned her ability and shinobi status and came close to a complete mental breakdown because of it…

… and all Mizore got was one broken nose and _he _completely armored himself up with a new metal arm? And she thought _she _had been overacting! This guy took the cake!

Mizore took a step forward, pointing his new arm at her. "You will fall to me, youjo. You'll fall to my superior offensive might, my latest toy _Fuiuchi Oujou Te_ and be stopped cold by my new armor. And I'll be sure to mount your head on my wall as my latest trophy."

At first the girl said nothing. Then a smile appeared on her face as she looked Mizore directly in the eye. "Then all I have to do…" She slammed a fist into her hand. "… is _break _that armor."

* * *

**(Author's Note) **At last it's time! The ending fights we've all be waiting for and we'll be starting with Sakura vs. Mizore, Round 2! An entirely armored and reequipped Mizore to boot! If you recall in Chapter 23, Nadare did mention the three of them were going to go _shopping_.

Taigi's story is also revealed and bonus points to anyone that remembered all those little contradictions in the previous chapters, like the Snow Ninja that spotted the group at the end of Chapter 14, how Alpha Team wasn't able to reach Gamma Team (The team Taigi is one) on the radios due to "static" in the following chapter, or how Taigi stated that 'this changed everything. He would have to adjust his plans' in the Sixteenth Chapter.

Also, things don't look good for Makino, does it? Is he alive, or has he succumb to death in his own movie (talk about taking his job _way to seriously_!)? And in all honesty, it doesn't matter one way or another.

And before anyone says 'what about all the movie stuff in Chuuten', as I now have full reigns on the story, let _me _worry about how the movie is affected and made for its influence on Chuuten, should Makino end up kicking the bucket as it'll still happen regardless.

So, there is a poll in my profile. Cast you're votes and we'll see what the Hand of Fates deals our beloved – if not highly annoying – director.

**Fuiuchi Oujou Te**-_Surprise Attack Death Hand_

**Santoryu: Biisuto Keiteki**-_Three Sword Style: Beast Horn_/A charging attack. Taigi will hold both arm swords together in front of him, mimicking the horn of an animal. Similar to the Biisuto Shuugeki (Beast Charge) but where that attack as the swords shoulder length apart, the Biisuto Keiteki has the swords back to back at the chest area, effectively turning it into 'one' sword for a quick piercing strike, allowing Taigi to follow up with his mouth sword. (High C-Class Kenjutsu)

**Santoryu: Biisuto Wana**_-Three Sword Style: Beast Trap_/A Sword Catch/Breaker Technique preformed by Taigi. He will intercept an enemy's blade with one hand sword and his mouth sword, locking into place and then use his remaining sword to break the caught sword. Once done, Taigi will slash with all three of his blades on the opponent. Requires not only a decent amount of brute force, but exact timing, least Taigi miss. (High B-Class Kenjutsu).

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Tellemicus for beta-reading this!_


	26. Sakura's Determination

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 26 – Sakura's Determination_

**Black Fang Castle**

**Five minutes prior**

Once the fighting had ended in the Great Hall, the Snow personnel (from both sides of the conflict) agreed that it was in the movie's crew best interests to get the hell out of there until both sides could reach some sort of settlement.

Or until one side was wiped out.

The Yuki nin escorted the group to the remains of the palace doors that Sasuke and Sakura had blown up. Kaijo, Ken, Hidero, Michy and the rest made their way out into the courtyard, with all of them running to their vehicles that weren't destroyed from all the fighting - about half of the original number. The two surviving Loyalist shinobi, flanked by Kiganai and Danmari, raced across the blazing battlefield of hell to open the gates so the movie producers could drive out to safety from this place.

As the people piled into the cars and took off, a shockwave shook the entire area, making everyone, including one certain assistant director and three actors, look up to see six individuals duking it out in mid air. It wasn't difficult to determine that it was the three Leaf Ninja or whom they were fighting.

Feeling a mixture of guilt and obligation, the four of them wanted to be able to witness their three young friends. As four of them went flying to the outskirts, and the final pair remained on the castle rooftop, the question of 'how' quickly became apparent.

And that's when Kaijo saw the blimp across the courtyard. While they had no idea how to work the thing, the three small hot air balloons were a far more feasible option.

With a quick degree of understanding that came from many years of working together, they headed over to the balloons, a few of their fellows bringing up the rear. Ken, Hidero and Michy would take a small team of three and man a balloon, Michy would track down Sakura, Hidero would cover Naruto and Ken would find Sasuke.

As Kaijo prepared to see them off, he handed each group a large camera.

Purely to help _look_ for the shinobi, of course! Really!

**Forest**

**8:51 pm**

Haruno Sakura looked at the large iron man that served as her opponent, for lack of a better term. Though the more she thought about it, the more fitting the description of "iron man" fit this Fuyukuma Mizore. That new armor he had on him was bulky and solid-looking. She couldn't see a single crack, so it seemed this was something he didn't use too often, assuming it wasn't freshly made. She was no blacksmith, so she had no idea if someone could make something like this in the short time since their first encounter at the iceberg. She also couldn't help taking in that new metal arm he was sporting. It looked like something more fitting of a giant rather than a man and she could only marvel at how much all this weighed, let alone what it could do.

But if her calculations were correct, all this was useful to help her win.

"Well, Youjo! Come at me!" Mizore beckoned her with his normal hand. "I'll give you the first move!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Sakura dashed forward at Mizore as fast as she was able. She was pleased to see the slight shock in his eyes at the speed. Her fist hit the armor dead on. Acting quickly, she sweep-kicked, aiming at his knee joint, but this time he was ready, raising his leg up and blocking. Taking the initiative, she spun around the raised leg and lightly rammed her shoulder into him, knocking him off balance.

This time, Mizore reacted by punching at her with his metal arm. Spinning on her heel, she avoided and managed to get another hit on his side, the metal ringing through the area. Mizore changed his punch into an elbow, but she was gone before it hit, already striking at his back. A rear kick came from Mizore, forcing Sakura to cross her arms to block the blow. The kick sent her flying backwards, though she recovered with ease.

_As I thought. That armor is as solid as it looks. No visible weak spots around it. The joints are vulnerable and he's on the lookout for them, _Sakura thought to herself, allowing a smirk.

_Mizore's metal arm crushed the ice where she had just been standing. He then attempted to swipe kick her, causing her to retreat more. Again, Mizore didn't stop. He did a quick knife edge kick at her, followed up by a fierce left hook. During all of this, Sakura was barely able to back away, let alone block or counterattack._

As shown in their previous encounter, Sakura was capable of dodging Mizore's attacks; barely, but still able nonetheless. And with all that new tech, he was weighed down even more so, making him all the slower.

"MY TURN, YOUJO!" Mizore yelled. His gauntlet launched towards her, as before. The thing flew at three times the speed as last time and had Sakura not known about it, it would have caught her right in the face. As it was, she barely manage to get out of its way.

That's when Mizore's hand came to a tree, grabbing on to it. Pulling himself to the gauntlet rather than the other way around, Mizore went flying towards the tree and the girl in front of him, his right arm out and ready to smash against the young kunoichi. She slipped due to sheer surprise, the action saving her as she just missed the flying human juggernaut as she fell on her back.

"What's wrong, Youjo?" Mizore taunted as he repositioned himself, planting his feet against the tree trunk. Thrusting as hard as he could, he launched himself into the air, right over the fallen girl. "THOUGH I'D BE SLOW?"

He pointed his metal arm behind him and fired it once more. It hit the nearest tree branch, propelling him down with considerable force. "Gurandosuramu!"

Sakura had just enough time to shriek in terror before Mizore came crashing down, snow and even the dirt underneath flying up all around him. When he picked himself up, all that was underneath him was a large amount of splinters that had once been a log.

The real Leaf genin was hiding behind a tree and kicking herself. Of _course_ Mizore would be well aware of the fact that heavy armor would make him slower! So naturally, he'd have a way around it, using the terrain to propel himself! She also knew that in that situation, either Naruto or Sasuke would have taken advantage of that move and added an exploding tag to the Kawarimi and blown a chunk out of that armor.

What could she do? She had very few long range attacks that would dent that armor. And he had more power than her, so getting close would favor him more than it would her. She checked her pouch, checking what explosives she had left. Three regular tags, and two of her Fubukis. A wide area explosion like before would do nothing, she needed to condense what she had left, focus it to break that armor.

"Miss me, youjo?" The big metal hand burst through the tree. The tree tumbled over, revealing the Snow Ninja. His normal hand soon followed, aiming for the girl's throat. Sakura's hands came up, blocking as the two struggled for superiority. Mizore dropped his full weight on her, forcing the girl to her knees as he brought up his left arm, poised to strike.

At the last second, Sakura let go and rolled across the ground. Mizore was hot on her tail, rearing his metal hand of death once more for a strike. Relying on the momentum, she somersaulted backwards to gain her footing, Faiatamas appearing in her hands. She hurled them like a mad woman, the small fireballs hitting Mizore all over his armor, an all-knowing snicker coming from the helmet as he nudged his head to the side, the latest fireball soaring past harmlessly.

Sakura ran towards him, yelling as she assaulted him once again. Once his metal hand came in for the counterattack, two kunai appeared in her hands as if by magic as she slammed them against the contraption. They snapped like old twigs.

"Didn't you learn last time, _baka_!" the man roared happily, drawing out the word. "Your normal attacks do NOTHING!"

He swung at her again and Sakura dropped to all fours. Picking up two more kunai, she lunged at Mizore's knees. The man calmly jumped into the air, avoiding the strikes as he kicked the girl. As he expected, what went flying through the air was not the pink-haired bitch but another log. Looking over his shoulder, he caught sight of his prey. "You're getting too predictable, youjo!"

Sakura was once more running more towards her opponent, this time forming a different set of seals. Jumping into the roll on the ground, earth flew to her fists and once she was back on her feet, her Rock Gloves were on and ready.

The kunoichi dodged underneath Mizore's coming fist quite easily this time around as she slammed her rock-covered fists all over Mizore's front side. Noticeably slower, the Yuki-nin attempted to backhand her with his normal arm, but Sakura was ready. She caught his arm simply enough, then moved in to snap it at the elbow joint…

And that's when his mechanical hand jetted forward at her, a tanto-sized blade popping out right towards her face!

Surprise shocked her entire being, allowing her to move Mizore's right arm to block it. The big man screamed out in pain as his own blade pierced his upper arm, allowing Sakura to get away, but not before touching the left side of her head, her hand coming back bloody. A shallow cut on her left temple.

It made her sick just how close it came to not being shallow…

"Not bad, Youjo. That's more like it," Mizore said. There was anger in his voice still, but also a hint of glee as he yanked his blade out of his arm. "You used the actions of making your Rock Gloves to mask the hand seals for that little genjutsu. However, don't think you're the only one that took our last battle to heart. I've done my homework."

He tapped his helmet. "This does far more than protect my head from you, vile wretch. It protects me from your little genjutsus. It emits a small chakra signature; the second you try an illusion, it reacts by sending a small amount of chakra into my system and snaps me out of it."

Sakura wanted to scream at the injustice of this all! Just how many precautions did this guy take?

"Now, Youjo," the man pointed his metal arm right at her. Placing his other hand on it, there was a small 'Pop!' as it shifted out of place. Mizore rotated his arm a quarter turn before putting it back in place. "Let me show you what else my new toy can do!"

The hole opened up in his palm, but instead of the tanto appearing, there was a rattling sound and tiny triangular kunai shot out. Sakura crossed her arms but the shots still struck her left glove. The rock glove broke apart on impact and the rest of the shots buried themselves in her lower left arm.

Her scream filled the woods, as she clutched her injured arm. Each projectile felt like boiling oil poured on her arm. Mizore laughed in glee, clearly enjoying the sight. "Let's go for a leg this time!"

Another round of shots fired out towards the girl, only to hit another log this time. Mizore looked around to see her in the trees. "You're not getting away!" he roared, jumping after her as he fired again, the mini kunai ripping through the air, embedding themselves into trees or blasting through the branches, snow being flung everywhere into the air.

Sakura had already jumped to the next tree when the first round came after her, pulling the mini-kunai out of her arm. She kept jumping in a random direction as she made her way through the trees, desperate to get away from this man. Her heart was beating furiously against her chest, as though it was ready to bail ship. _Calm down! Calm DOWN! It's not over yet! I… I…_

The girl's brain was slowly locking up, fear quelling inside her. It was like fighting one of those ancient demons of legend, where if you cut off one head, two more appeared. She couldn't stop herself from being afraid, creeping into the very core of her being and threatening to sabotage from the inside out. It was so distracting she nearly ran into the next tree, her cloak getting caught by the branches.

"GOT YOU NOW, YOUJO!" The arm portion rotated once more as he took aim. Chakra began building up rapidly as he fired an intense beam of energy right at the girl.

Sakura would later swear her heart really did jump all the way to her throat, reason, logic and physicals all damned as she saw that beam come towards her face. And just how much of a good motivator fear can really be as she tore off her cloak and made a mad dash away, seconds before the area exploded. Cloak, tree. All of it.

_"Well, watch," the Jounin said with a resigned sigh. Bringing up his hands from his pockets, he formed the hitsuji seal. A faint glow of blue drew the genins' attentions to his feet._

_Then wobbling over to the nearest tree, Kakashi put his foot upon the trunk and continued to wobble up the tree. Completely defying gravity. The trio of genin stared in awe at their sensei as he came to rest hanging underneath a tree limb almost thirty feet in the air._

_"You understand now?" he asked, slightly amused. "Gather your chakra into the bottom of your feet and climb up a tree. This is something that you can do once you can use chakra well."_

_"Wait a minute," Sakura called out forcefully. "How is learning to climb a tree going to make us stronger?"_

_Thus Kakashi launched into a tried-and-true lecture of how the art of tree climbing increased chakra reserves and how a person who learned to summon chakra into their feet could theoretically perform any known jutsu in the world. The explanation had Naruto quivering in anticipation to get started._

_With a mere flick of his wrist, the jounin sent a trio of kunai down at the genin underneath him. He watched their first attempts at tree climbing amusedly. Sakura, with her perfect control, was able to climb more than sixty feet up her tree. Sasuke only got about fifteen feet up before his control slipped and he accidentally pumped too much out. It resulted in him being flung off the tree, after he threw a slash across the trunk._

_Naruto only got one foot on the trunk before he was blasted clear across the tiny clearing and slammed into another tree. The tree he'd attempted to climb let out a loud crunching groan as the weakened base could no longer support its weight, sending it toppling over. The tree he slammed into had a clear imprint in its bark of the blond's body._

_Hm, the jounin thought. I guess that water-walking may have increased his chakra reserves a little too much._

_"Jeez, Naruto!" Sakura reprimanded. "Can't you do anything without destroying something!"_

_"WHOA!" he yelled as he saw how high she got. "That's awesome, Sakura-chan!"_

_"Well, there you have it," Kakashi said easily. "A clear gauge on how well each of you controls your own chakra compared to each other. Too much and you get repelled from the tree, far too much and you destroy the tree, and the right amount."_

Sakura hung on to that memory like a lifeline as her feet landed on the next branch. _TOO MUCH REPELS YOU FROM THE TREE, SO LET'S DO __**TOO MUCH**__…!_

Chakra surging into her legs and feet, she propelled off the branch in a new burst of speed, further allowing her to avoid the aftershocks of the blast the iron man just fired, much to the man's dismay as he gave chase, wondering how she increased her speed. It seemed even the trees were breaking underneath her!

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY, YOUJO!" Not willing to be outdone, he took another aim with his arm. Before he could fire again, Sakura landed against a tree and backflipped towards Mizore. As she shifted in the air, she began hurling kunai towards him. Due to her position in the air, her aim was off as most sailed past the Snow Ninja harmless, and the few that did hit him bounced off harmlessly.

Mizore's head looked over as his prey was above him and began fleeing once. Turning around to fire once again he leapt into the air to give chase as he saw her close a fist.

Wires.

There were wires attached to the kunai she threw.

Jerking on them, Mizore was certain she channeled chakra into her hand as she flung herself like a missile directly at him, her feet slamming against his armored chest. While it didn't hurt him, it did send him flying to the ground, kicking up snow and even dirt around him as he hit. He was slightly stunned as he moved to get back up, anger rising to the boiling point.

In the air, Sakura made the tora sign with her right hand. Mizore had just enough time to look down before the exploding tags went off underneath.

_HOW? WHAT? WHEN? _He jerked as he recalled one of her maneuvers.

_He swung at her again and Sakura dropped to all fours. Picking up two more kunai, she lunged at Mizore's knees._

It must have been then, Mizore realized unhappily as the explosions blew him upward into the air. As he struggled to regain his composure, he noticed a third exploding tag at the heart of his chest.

That's when a small bursting sound filled his ears as small white tags cluttered the air once more. As quick as a lightning strike, he realized what had happened: She had planted these during all frantic maneuvers, lured him back to her previous set up, all for a big bang!

Sakura looked right at him as she dropped through the air. "A widespread explosion did nothing." A Faiamata appeared in her hand as she threw her hair back. "SO LET'S TRY A FAR MORE CONDENSED BLAST AT _**POINT BLANK RANGE!**_"

Hurling her newest fireball, it struck the first of the tiny paper bombs, exploding the area in the latest series of explosions. Unlike her first one, which encompassed a far wider area, this one was much smaller and more compact as Mizore went flying to the ground once more. He hit with so much force, he actually bounced back up. He slid among the snow as he hit land for the third time in quick succession, his stomach doing somersaults from all the explosions and aerial acrobatics. His helmet went flying off his head, dropping next to him.

"I'M NOT LOSING!"

Mizore looked up just in time to see Sakura running towards him at top speed, her arms reared back for a strike, covered in those rock gloves again. "NOT. THIS. TIME!"

Utilizing every bit of strength she could muster, Sakura slammed her rock-covered fists into the damaged chest armor of her foe so hard the gloves shattered on impact. The centermost portion of Mizore's armor broke apart, leaving a small hole about half a meter in diameter. Several broken pieces cut into his flesh, while the rest went flying in several directions, even towards Sakura herself, though she did not even acknowledge the tiny bits of metal recoiling off her torso and face.

Blood went flying from Mizore's mouth as he found himself flying backwards and slamming into a tree, causing him to cough up more blood. Sakura braced herself against her knees, catching her breath as she surveyed her damage, wishing she had noticed Mizore's absent helmet earlier and striking his face instead of his chest. Just another mark against her in terms of battle experience.

With his helmet off, Mizore's enraged face could clearly be seen. His teeth were clenched tightly and his entire face flushed a slight autumn red. "THAT'S IT, YOUJO!" Holding up his right hand, he began a string of one handed seals.

Sakura was taken back by the action, her mind screaming 'WHAT?'

"Surprised, _bitch?_" Mizore taunted. "Surprised that I do know some ninjutsu? LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT IT CAN DO!" He slammed his hand on the ground. "Ninpou: Yuki Buriza-do!"

Snow began swarming all around him just as it's name indicated. It quickly expanded in all directions, soon engulfing Sakura. The coldness stung her like a hive of angry bees as she brought her arms to cover her face. Her eyes had shut themselves reflexively and it took a great deal of effort for her to open them to try and spot her foe. Calculating where he had been when he initiated his jutsu, she could barely make out his figure. His roaring laugh in the snow was what really gave him away.

Acting quickly, she formed the seals for the Kawarimi, allowing her to escape the snow storm as a log took her place, with little time to spare as she saw Mizore clash into her…

A log and makeshift ice sculpture with the kanji 'DUMMY!' emerged from the chakra-produced snow storm.

Sakura's insides turned to ice as she looked around to see Mizore was in fact _behind _her, his hand clasping around her right ankle.

"Not this time, bitch!" Mizore yelled, full of glee as the two dropped back down to the ground, Mizore slamming the pink-haired girl down hard.

There was no small amount of pain in the cry that emerged from Sakura's mouth. The Snow Shinobi lightly tossed her into the air, his entire hand covering her face as he grabbed her person once again.

In the following seconds, Mizore smashed Sakura headfirst against the nearest tree.

No audible sound came from Sakura this time. In its place, Sakura's arms slumped to her side, dangling free. All signs of resistance from the girl faded away as she hung in the iron man's grasp. An all-knowing smile appeared on Mizore's face as he licked his lips.

"Once again, Youjo. _You _lose."

No sound came from the girl, making the smile on Mizore's face all the brighter as he looked around for an appropriate plan for what was coming next. Spying a small pond not too far, he walked over to it, dragging the girl along like a rag doll. Coming up to it, he tossed the girl on top of a large rock at the edge of the body. Sakura landed on it, her head hanging over the edge as Mizore's blade popped out. He eyed her exposed neck, practically seeing a dotted line for him to cut.

The fall had shaken Sakura enough to jolt her back to herself. Pain still swarmed her from every inch of her body, and her head was pounding like someone was repeatedly hitting it with a hammer. She just lay there in that daze, her green eyes looking at the water below as Mizore came into view. _Oh… goody… I get to watch my own beheading…_

As Mizore raised his arm in preparation, Sakura just found herself looking at her reflection. And at a complete loss at to what she was saying.

What was there to say about her? That she was Haruno Sakura, kunoichi of Team 7 of Konohagakure. All that was was a title, it didn't say anything about her as a shinobi or even an individual. What had she done during all her time as a ninja? Flashes came to her in the forms of her futile attack on Haku in the Wave Country, grabbing the scroll from Kabuto, her fight in the Preliminaries, crafting her genjutsu…

The more she thought on these, the more it seemed to her that all she had done was follow in Naruto and Sasuke's footsteps, backing them up in their plans and actions. Say what you will about Naruto and Sasuke's goals, even if you thought Naruto's dream of Hokage was idealistic and idiotic or Sasuke's ambition of avenging his clan was foolhardy at the cost of what he already had… at least they had dreams, goals and ambitions. She didn't even have her own nindo!

What was her dream? Even back when Team 7 first gathered, all she had done was glance at Sasuke, giggling all the time then saying she hated Naruto. Even if you agreed that helping one of your teammates was worthwhile, that couldn't be all she was about. Didn't she have any pride in herself? Something that associated with _her_ foremost?

Okay, she had taken CLS classes, but that was part-time. Not a full-fledged medic-nin. Why didn't she want to fully commit to the medical field? Did she want to fight? She hadn't done a good job at that now, had she? What did she want out of life, dammit!

The word 'life' rang through her head like an alarm clock, jerking back to the fact that if she didn't do something _right now _her life was going to last about three seconds!

She wasn't sure she could describe what she did next. She still felt all the pain raging through her aching body. It didn't diminish, but it was almost like she was channeling all that anguish into energy. To use rather than hinder. All she knew was that she had to do something _RIGHT NOW_!

"Hold still!" Mizore snapped as the girl began struggling with all her might. He slammed his right foot down in the middle of the girl's back. "I want a nice clean cut!"

In the reflection of the water, Sakura saw the blade descend towards the back of her neck as she began feeling around for something, ANYTHING, for a weapon! Something to get her out of this!

When Mizore's blade was half way to it's target, Sakura's hand found something underneath the rock on which she lay. A small pebble. Using the reflection as a guide, she whipped her arm around and threw it right at Mizore.

"AHHHH!" Mizore's blade struck right beside her, missing her by centimeters as his leg lifted off her back. Rolling away, Sakura turned to see the damage she had done.

"AGAIN WITH THE FACE! WHAT IS IT WITH YOU AND HITTING ME IN THE _FUCKING_ _**FACE**_!"

Both of Mizore's hands were covering his right eye, which was now just a bloody hole thanks to her one small pebble.

"I'M GONNA KILL YO – " Mizore's rage was abruptly cut off by a sharp uppercut to his jaw. Mizore's head jerked backwards as he crashed down to the ground. Keeping his right eye shut, he used his sole remaining eye to see the girl standing straight up.

It wasn't normal. And that wasn't an expression, it was the honest truth. The girl was standing straight up, huffing and puffing like a dragon. The veins in her about to burst from the intensity, her jaw was clenching hard and her eyes were blazing with an extreme desire to _hurt. _Even the girl's skin seemed to redden, like her very blood was boiling. Sure, all he could see now was red because of his eye injury, but he knew what he saw! One eye or not!

Could anyone be _that _angry?

Sakura ran towards him, rearing another punch. Pulling back his normal arm, he punched out to meet her own. Moments before they collided, Sakura's arm shifted downward, bypassing his attack straight towards his chest.

The impact was incredible. The girl's fist slammed directly into his armored chest, and Mizore still felt like he had been hit with a wrecking ball! Blood flew from his mouth as he went bumping along the ground. When he finally stopped, he struggled to get up only to meet the bitch's fist smashing into his face proper, crushing his face and breaking his nose all over again!

Mizore went flying back a full twenty meters before he came to a crashing stop. _WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED? w_as the only thing running through Mizore's mind.

He looked up just in time to see Sakura coming at him again. Shifting his weight to get a better angle, he rotated his mechanical arm again and a series of razor sharp wires flew out, wrapping around the girl with precise precision, cutting into her limbs as they were snapped tight.

For about 0.7 seconds before the kunoichi snapped them apart.

His foe grabbed the remains of the wires and yanked on them hard, propelling him forward, screaming bloody murder. Her fists rained down on his armor all over, Mizore violently jerking with each hit. By the time he managed to get in a counterattack, Sakura had backflipped away, leaving Mizore dumbfounded as his armor was now just a battered heap of waste.

Mizore had never hurt more than he did right now, and he wanted nothing more to just lay down and sleep for a month. _Where is she getting such colossal strength? Is she using exact chakra control to make herself physically stronger? __I thought only their Hokage could do that!_

_WHO ARE YOU, BLOODY CHERRY BLOSSOM? _Mizore wanted to scream, since he lacked the ability to voice the question. _ARE YOU A MEMBER OF A BLOODLINE CLAN, THE HOKAGE'S APPRENTICE, THE KEEPER OF SOME LONG LOST NINJA A__RT! CHILD OF THE BIJU? _Forcing his mouth to work, he shouted. "ANWR MI, YOUJO!"

Predictably, no answer came from this pink monster as she charged him once again. Panic flooding into him, he held up his arm and fired off another round of mini kunai. Sakura began batting them all away effortlessly, not even slowing in her pace to reach him.

Panic was replaced with pandemonium as he swung his arm into the tree next to him. A good meter thick and thirty meters tall. His arm crashed through the wood easily enough as the tree toppled down to the girl as he used his other arm to hurl his own set of kunai. This monster couldn't avoid both at once!

The tree fell right on Sakura as her arms hugged it, the kunai embedding themselves harmlessly in the word.

Mizore's single eye nearly popped out as his jaw hit the dirt. SHE CAUGHT IT?

Muscles ripping themselves all over her arms, the girl began to pick up the tree. Mizore was so shocked by this, he didn't even think about moving as the girl used it like a giant bat on him. The Snow Ninja hit the nearest tree from the strike, indenting it with his impression.

From all the strikes and impact, his vision was very blurry and he could barely stand up straight, but in his mind's eye, sharp as ever, he could visualize the incoming pink missile, aiming for his heart. "SA_KU_**RA**!" With that, he launched his metal hand at her.

Sakura met the fist with her arm as flesh met metal, the metal shattering completely from the girl's punch. Clasping the metal cord with both hands, the girl gave a yell as she pulled, this time bringing the broken and weakened Mizore to her. As he came within arm's reach, Sakura's left fist slammed once more into his armor, pieces of metal flying everywhere as she struck home.

And she didn't stop. Punch after punch, blow after blow, she kept plowing them on the man. Over and over. Pieces of armor flew out in all directions as Mizore was systematically plowed backwards through the snow-covered ground until he hit the same tree as before.

Even then, Sakura did not let up on her barrage. Screaming in absolute fury, she continued her assault, the number of her punches shooting up into the triple digits, wanting to crush every _centimeter _of Mizore she could reach. The man was just flailing with every blow as the force of the assault drove him deeper into the tree, the impression becoming a hole as bits of bark flew off with the metal fragments. The entire tree was shaking from the assault until a large crack appeared in the back end.

Sakura let out one more devastating cry as that single crack became many, running through the entire tree until it burst apart completely with Sakura's final punch that slammed into Mizore's head. The tree toppled over to the side as the man flew through it, landing on the ground on his back, his face buried in the snow.

The leaf genin stood there, finally stopping as she attempted to regain her breath, her anger finally starting to diminish. As the tree hit the ground with a thundering crash, she felt herself calm again. The adrenaline and angry leaving her system. Even the bonecrushing pain she felt was lessening, though her right hand was throbbing like mad.

All of this was just an afterthought in her mind, as Mizore's still form was the only thing registering in her mind.

She won.

She _won_ against an opponent that had creamed her last time. It had come close at points, but she came out victorious! Let him stew over that with his face in the snow, as she turned around, throwing up a fist in victory. This would be a new beginning for her! Toward her own ninja way…

She trailed off as she glanced back towards her fallen foe, something in the back of her mind clicking into place. Surveying Mizore's fallen form again, how could one be on their back and _face down _at the same time?

Anxiety raising, she rushed over and confirmed her suspicions. Mizore's head had been twisted a full one hundred and eighty degrees.

There was no need to check for a pulse, the sight was enough. The man was dead. By her hand.

Sakura's heartbeat became erratic as she absorbed this information. It wasn't so much the fact she had killed Mizore that was bothering her… it was the fact she had completely lost control and killed without realizing it that was sickening. That she had given into her anger so much it drastically changed her into something she was not…

She dropped to her knees, as she looked at her hands. The color was fading from her face as she looked at these two hands that caused so much destruction. All without realizing it.

The possibilities on what could happen if she lost control of her anger again frightened her.

**Another part of the forest**

**8:51 pm. Again.**

Sasuke could still feel the heat from the explosion, hurling him through the air from the castle. Before he knew it, he was over the forest again. His eyes shifted from red to normal black as he fought to regain a sense of balance and orientation as he beckoned the Curse Seal to awaken, its power coursing through his veins once more.

"NOT GOING TO HELP YOU!"

Sasuke only had time to jerk his head backwards as Fubuki appeared behind him, her arms grabbing hold of him from behind.

"I believe this is _your _move, right?" Fubuki snickered as she flipped backwards, hurling both herself and the Uchiha headfirst towards the ground below. She began spinning around in a whirling daze before releasing her grip on the brat, spending him streaking down like a missile towards the ground. "Sora Bakudan Rendan!"

Fubuki couldn't resist as she cupped a hand over her mouth as the Uchiha disappeared into the forest brush. "Have a nice _fall_!"

"Just in time to spring back." Fubuki snapped her around to see a shadowy bat figure behind her, huge leathery wings complete with a set of blazing red eyes, two electrifying hands ready for battle.

"Big mistake, you shouldn't have let me go!" Sasuke shouted as he attacked, his twin lightning encased hands seeking towards her exposed back.

That's when a flutter of… something… began swarming all over the Uchiha like a hive of angry bees. Thanks to his enhanced eyes, he was able to get a quick glimpse of whatever those things were and parried them though several still found their marks and forced him to back off.

After Fubuki had launched him to the ground, Sasuke had quickly entered into the second state of the seal. Just as the wings emerged from his back, he reactivated his Sharingan and snagged the first branch he could, swinging on it to shoot himself back into the air with the momentum gained from Fubuki's move. The two hung in the air studying one another as the moonlight shined down on them.

"So you've finally brought it out," Fubuki said, observing the dark grey of his skin texture and dark blue hair the boy now sported. She thought the dark star-shaped mark across the bridge of his nose was especially enticing. The webbed-clawed-shaped wings moving every so slightly, yet still keeping him aloft, as the cloak fluttered to the ground.

"It's been a work in progress," Sasuke replied. The Snow Kuniochi looked almost the same as before, from the armor to her physical features, save for one new feature exposed to the moonlight. It looked like a wheel on her back, similar to the helm you would see on a ship, with eight kunai sticking out of it around the circumference. Had those been that swarming bee thing?

"Very nice. A battle in the air." Fubuki stated, opening up her own wings to their full extent. "Let's see how your Sharingan faces against my Supaida-Oujou Kuruma."

* * *

**(Author's Note)** That's a wrap for Sakura's battle! One down, two to go before Doto himself! And next up is Sasuke. Though if I had my way, I would have ended the chapter at Mizore's "You Lose" line ^_^

If forced to confess, this was an additional reason why I didn't have Sakura kill anyone during the Big Melee earlier; I wanted Mizore to be her first kill due to the nature of the death. Nice set up for my own plans regarding Sakura in Chuuten to follow. Yes, that's still on the To Do List.

As we can see, I did not go the movie route in defeating the Yuki-sannin here. Aside from Nadare's, I found them rather anticlimactic. I've invested a lot in these characters and their story, so I wanted to give them a full run. I've had visions of how I'd do these fights from the beginning, so I can only hope you enjoyed them as much as I do.

And I have to say 'WOW' in regards to the overwhelming majority on Makino's fate. Didn't expect it to be that one sided. I imagine it's because you all want to know what's the deal with the guy. Alrighty, we'll keep the guy around. I will say that Makino will not be making a complete recovery due to all his injuries, but at least he's alive. Thanks to all that voted!

**Fuiuchi Oujou Te**-_Surprise Attack Death Hand_/Mizore's new arm complemented with new features. Nearly three times the size as his original one and twice the weight. Has four different modes. The first is firing out the mini-kunai (100 total), each about the size of a quarter. The second is producing a small tanto blade. The third is firing out razor sharp wiring instead of the cables to both ensnare and cut into the opponent. And the fourth is a high-intensity chakra beam, capable of large amounts of destruction. Due to Mizore's own reserves, he is only able to use once or twice. In addition to all these, he is still capable of launching the hand portion.

**Gura****ndosuramu-**_Grand Slam_/A taijutsu maneuver where Mizore positions himself over his opponent and body slams them. With his new armor, anything caught underneath is pulverized. (Mid C-Class Taijutsu)

**Ninpou: Yuki Buriza-do**-_Ninja Art: Snow Blizzard_/Kicks up snow, dirt and other natural debris into the air, with the user as the centerpoint where the blizzard is the least effective. The more chakra one puts into the technique, the larger the radius is and the faster the blizzard becomes. (High C-Class Ninjutsu)

**Sora Bakudan Rendan**-_Sky Bomb Rendan_/A modified version of Sasuke's Shishi Rendan Fubuki created from Snow's intelligence reports. Fubuki will grab ahold of her opponent in Lotus fashion, and divebomb headfirst towards the ground. Mixed with spinning to completely disorient the opponent as she releases them to plummet to their deaths below. Timing is critical in releasing the opponent so they can't do anything, but not so much that Fubuki herself can't get away safely as careless action can result in her death. (Low B-Class Taijutsu)

**Supaida-Oujou Kuruma**-_Spider Death Wheel_

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	27. Battle in the Air

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

Chapter 27 – Battle in the Air

**Skies above the forest**

**8:53 pm.**

The Uchiha Avenger of Konoha hung in the air facing the Seihyouki Kijo of the San Eihei. One barely a teenager utilizing a curse to improve his power and allow him flight, the other a woman in service to a tyrant allowing technology to fight her battles.

"Taking me on up in the air," Fubuki spoke aloud, a grin materializing on her face. "You sure know how to take a girl out."

"I've broken my fair share of hearts," Sasuke agreed.

While he chatted, his eyes were searching. Looking for this Supaida-Oujou Kuruma. The name suggested several possibilities, but Sasuke lacked any means of narrowing down and confirming those possibilities. He needed to see it again, catch a direct look at whatever the hell this new piece of hardware was.

_Best way to learn is the direct approach, _the scarred-eyed boy thought to himself. Taking the initiative, Sasuke's hands flew through a familiar string of seals as he launched a Goukakyuu.

"You move fast; I like that! Hyouton: Aisu Kometto no Jutsu!" Freezing winds emerged from Fubuki's mouth, forming a large ice ball.

The two attacks hit each other with explosive results. Before the aftermath dissipated, Sasuke was already speeding forward through the attacks. He knew the Gokukayuu wouldn't have done anything to Fubuki thanks to her armor, and even if she hadn't countered, he just wanted an opening to get up close and personal.

Seizing his chance, he struck at Fubuki with a sharp right hook. The Snow Kunoichi, while startled, was still quick enough to meet his punch with her own. The impacts reared down their arms as a flurry of punches followed suit, each time the fists clashing in an attempt to break the other's guard. With the next strike, Fubuki propelled herself backwards, flipping in the air and delivering a kick to Sasuke's chin, to which Sasuke merely leaned back, allowing it sail by harmlessly.

Completing the roll in midair, Fubuki lunged forward with new valor in her attacks. The Uchiha started countering once again when a sharp snap kick came at his side, followed up by another nearly instantaneously right on the boy's face.

The shock that one of Fubuki's kicks managed to land on him despite his Sharingan was replaced by realization. Up in the air, they didn't have ground to stand on, so the legs were far more free to attack with and not worry about small things like standing or balance. Fubuki confirmed this by launching a new barrage of blows comprising of both arms and legs at her foe in a relentless onslaught. More than ready for it this time, Sasuke began copying her style, matching her blow for blow again.

And that's when it happened. Distracting the boy with a taijutsu match and getting him to focus his attention on it, the attack came again. They came from behind Fubuki, kunai blades flying through the air as they slashed at the raven-haired avenger.

Then there was a puff of smoke as a log appeared.

"It seems your reaction speed is…" Fubuki turned her head to see the Uchiha behind her.

There were three small nicks on him now. One on the right thigh, one on the left shoulder and one on the right temple.

"… is _less _than what I thought," Fubuki finished, quite enjoying the moment. "You were a fraction too slow with your Kawarimi."

"If you're so proud of three small cuts, then you're going to _love _the sight of real blood," Sasuke promised her. It didn't matter to him because he got what he was looking for.

In the air around Fubuki were eight kunai. There was a wire attached to their hilts that ran to a contraption. "This my Supaida-Oujou Kuruma. By sending my chakra into the wires, I can move them like snakes. Swift. Accurate. And deadly." To further prove the point, all eight of the kunai began moving around, striking back and forth as they struck imaginary opponents in the air. Sasuke had to marvel at the precision and control as none of the wires were tangling themselves up in this little demonstration.

The Uchiha heir felt this technology was aptly named. He could practically envision a large, overbearing and hungry spider with eight hissing snakes for legs. Nine mouths ready to sink their fangs into his flesh.

"Don't disappoint me!" Fubuki cried out as she launched her attack in earnest. The eight wire-guided kunai came speeding towards Sasuke as he flapped his wings and shot upward. The kunai followed him like sharks after a wounded fish. Sasuke danced around in the air as best as he was able, constantly twisting, turning, and somersaulting to avoid the flying knives. Two were focused entirely on his hands, forcing him to block and preventing him from utilizing any hand seals.

Fubuki, however, had no such limitation as she formed a jutsu to add into the melee. An ice eagle blasted towards the Konoha genin, but he folded his wings down, allowing gravity to take him back down to earth, missing both the jutsu and the kunai.

Sasuke landed on a treetop just as Fubuki fired off those homing storm swallows at him. He wasn't worried since he was faster with his feet than with his wings. Once he got a fair enough distance away, he turned around and breathed out a Goukakyuu, melting the ice birds as he did last time.

That's when all eight of the kunai burst through the fire and ice jutsu, dispersing them into thin air as Fubuki shot out towards him, a predatory grin on her face. Sasuke landed back on top of a tree just in time to send a kick into her face…

… only for her to burst into that ice sculpture again. Complete with several exploding tags. The kanji read 'BAKA!' this time around.

"_KUSO!" _Sasuke shouted as he shifted his leg around and lunged away from it just as it exploded. He hit the treetops rather hard, bouncing from each one like a stone being skipped across a pond as Fubuki positioned herself above him. The spider kunai shot down before the Uchiha could recover as it pierced his chest and stomach areas. Only for him to shimmer out of existence.

"A Bunshin?" Fubuki exclaimed in disbelief. _You're joking! He actually managed to create a clone while rolling along like a pussy!_

_This brat is good. That took some serious skill and timing to be able to dodge like he did. If he did it too soon, I would have noticed and adjusted. If he__ did it too late, I would have been able to land a direct blow, rather than the glancing blow I managed. He even managed to sneak in a back-knuckle as __I flew by. Fubuki allowed her grin to bloom into a full-blown smile. Oh yes… this brat is definitely good__._

At the memory, Fubuki couldn't help but keep the small smirk off her face. Ah, right, the Uchiha was both fast and capable enough. No matter. She would crush him this time.

The Yuki-nin looked down into the forest as she cupped her mouth with her hand. "So, _darling_, are you still alive down there?"

A loud moan came in response. Then the area of the treetops glowed bright orange as a large fire dragon emerged from the forest ceiling as it came directly at the Snow Kuniochi. Recalling how _explosive _this jutsu was from their brawl at the iceberg, she wasn't sure how well her armor would protect her from it as she hastily dodged to the side, allowing it to speed past her.

"Better than _you're_ about to be, honey!" Eyes opening wide, Fubuki looked around to see that the dragon had turned around and was coming right back as realization hit her. _That's NOT the Karyuu Kyuuzou!_

She was too late to counter this jutsu as it came at her. Fortunately for her, this dragon didn't have anywhere near the power of its counterpart from earlier as the anti-chakra shieldeasily took it out. But that didn't account for the boy himself as he launched himself out from the trees, a kunai out in each of his hands as he struck.

There was a clash of metal as Sasuke, his wings spread out now, floated near her. On the back of her armor, one of Sasuke's kunai was embedded into the power seal located in the center, the seal shattering into pieces in the next instant. Sasuke's second kunai strike, intended for the woman's neck, had instead gashed across her left cheek almost to the ear itself, blood dripping down in considerable amounts.

But the most visible reaction was the kunoichi's face. It gave the look of a balloon being deflated; her skin was a tone lighter, a consistent sign of rapid chakra depletion. She was breathing heavily and her eyes looked swollen.

"I see the repercussions of your little armor are kicking in," Sasuke gloated, recalling the conversation that he had forced out of that first Yuki-nin team. In his right hand, he tossed Fubuki's weapons holster. "Thanks for the new toys."

_The three genin thought back to their fight at the iceberg with Nadare, Fubuki and Mizore. Both Sakura and Naruto could remember Mizore well enough and that his power seal was located in the middle of his chest area, while Sasuke noticed that Fubuki had hers on the middle of her wings in the back. None of them were sure where Nadare's was, though, since Kakashi had done most of the fighting with him. Sasuke then asked "What happens if the power seal is destroyed? Does the Chakra Armor simply stop working?"_

_Kiganai actually chuckled softly at that. "Of course not. It does much more than that. Remember, the chakra enhancement part works by continuously bouncing chakra between the pack and themselves, which means that the two are tightly close together. So much that they're dependent on each other. Get the picture yet?"_

_Naruto's face dawned in comprehension, while a satisfied grin appeared on Sasuke's face and Sakura's eyebrows raised in realization. So as powerful as this Chakra Armor was, it did have a weakness, and a big one at that! The two being that dependent on each other meant that if one of them was suddenly lost, the ninja was going to feel like he suddenly lost a huge amount of chakra all at once! Such a sharp drop without warning would cause a severe shock to them! If it was bad enough, it might even outright kill them! This was huge!_

"Seems the loss of the seal didn't outright kill you, but that's alright." The teen flexed his wings of his Curse Seal. "It gives me more of an opportunity to test these."

Fubuki was _BEYOND _pissed at the moment. "STOP ACTING SO SMUG, YOU FILTHY LITTLE _BED WETTER!_"

Sasuke flinched against his will as the kunai came flying at him again, lashing out all over him. _HOW THE HELL DOES SHE KNOW ABOUT THAT?_

Putting Fubuki's pouch on his leg, he flapped his wings backwards. It was a slow push as he tried to beat them faster to get out of the kunai's range, so he gradually picked up speed, while simultaneously blocking the kunai with his hands and feet.

As he had been flapping his wings to stay uplift, Sasuke found he was able to start moving again when Fubuki's barrage came at him. What he quickly discovered was that by moving straight sideways from being stationary, his wings were not facing downward, thus he had no force to get him to move upwards or counter his weight. So after a few seconds of blocking those spider kunai, he had begun falling back down towards the ground.

Those kunai came after him, but he was falling farther than they could reach. Just as Fubuki started chasing after the Uchiha personally, he rolled himself in midair so that his stomach was now facing the ground and with a swift beat of his wings, took off soaring, his face _inches _from the tree top line. Sasuke quickly realized that the momentum from the fall was working to his advantage as he rapidly regained airspeed, just as Fubuki was in hot pursuit, screaming bloody murder. "_Come back here, bed wetter!"_

Grinding his teeth in aggravation, he spun around in midair to face her. "And what does that make _you, backwater country bimbo?"_

He fired off another round of fireballs at her now that her chakra shield was gone. Fubuki easily dodged to the side, avoiding them. "This _bimbo _is still a whole lot better than you, brat!" She launched her spider kunai at him once again. "You broke the number one shinobi taboo!"

New kunai flashing in his hands, Sasuke began defending himself. "YOU ABANDONED YOUR VILLAGE!" Fubuki yelled, sending down another ice comet at him.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black if I ever heard it!" the Uchiha retorted, dodging the ice blast. He flew upwards, avoiding four of those kunai and throwing a Faiatama to momentarily drive the rest back. "YOU went and performed a coup d'etat on your rightful ruler!"

With the kunai temporarily behind him, he dashed forward towards the snow kunoichi. She was skirting around in the air so fast he wasn't able to maintain eye contact for his Sharingan to genjutsu her mind into mush, but he could still predict her movements as he attempted to shove the blades into her chest. That's when her armor gave a burst of chakra, allowing her to flip in midair and slam her feet into the Uchiha's chest, hurling him backwards and away from her.

"Sousetsu was an IDIOT!" Fubuki roared as she sent the kunai right back on him, forcing the Uchiha back on the defensive. "All he ever did was scheme his days and the country's money away, creating useless trinkets and gadgets that just wasted valuable time and resources and had NOTHING to show for it!"

She launched another ice eagle at him before rushing at the Uchiha at furious speeds, striking him right on the chest just as four of her kunai stabbed him all over. She wasn't the least bit surprised when the 'boy' burst into a log as she glanced him out of the corner of her eye, sending the reserved spider kunai right at him. "And I helped bring it to an END! Moreover, I STAYED in my country, helping to rebuild, serving the new government and the village, making Snow stronger than it ever was under Doto-sama's BAKA of a brother!" By this time, the other four kunai had swarmed in, joining the melee.

"_What's YOUR _excuse! You betrayed everyone you ever knew, both friend and acquaintance for your own personal quest of power!" Sasuke backflipped in the air, dodging five kunai at once, then kicking another one around, but two managed to score a hit on his upper right arm, slashing it. Shallow wounds, unfortunately, but proof Fubuki's taunts were working.

"You can't even claim it was for a higher calling for your village!" Four of her kunai regrouped and struck together, rolling about like a drill as they came straight at the Uchiha's face. Unable to dodge, he formed a Faiatama in each hand and merged them, using it as a makeshift fire shield against the kunai. At the last second, Fubuki broke off her joint attack. Instead of striking the fire jutsu, they scattered and went around it to hit the Uchiha from multiple sides.

"I DID it to gain CONTROL, not power!" Sasuke yelled, not sure why he felt he needed to defend his actions against this witch, but some way or another, she had more information on him than he wanted. "So this curse I have wouldn't consume me! Sometimes you have to deceive your friends in order to trick your enemies!"

With that, he launched the combined fireball at her. As backtracking was her only option, she flew backwards, which unfortunately put the Uchiha out of range from her spidery kunai. "At last, we agree on SOMETHING!" Fubuki shouted. She whirled about, avoiding the boy's latest strike, then used her wired kunai to block a shower of shuriken that came at her. "But where as I did it for a higher calling, YOU did it for personal gain! There's no way you can wiggle yourself out of it, Uchiha!"

A swarm of ice swallows appeared again as they swarmed towards the Uchiha. The Konoha genin turned to the side and bolted just as the birds followed, with Fubuki bringing up the lead. "Face it _Uchiha Sasuke_, your family is weeping in their graves because their last hope followed in their murderer's footsteps and not redeeming them!"

Sasuke gave an irritated yell as he formed an overpowered Faiatama in his hand. He could feel the heat radiating far more than was safe as it began burning his palm. The birds slammed right into it, melting before he lobbed it at her. "Shut your mouth!" he demanded. The instant Fubuki dodged his latest attack, Sasuke flew straight towards the nearest of the spider kunai and severed the wire with a slash of his own kunai. The weapon detached, falling to the ground like a fallen bird as he turned in midair, hurling a standard Faiatama that destroyed a second one, just as Fubuki flew across the moonlight to her back, illuminating her.

That's when she divebombed right at the Uchiha, that Frost Storm punch ready to go once again. Recalling last time, he formed his Ryouyou Denkou Kunai. Using gravity, speed and even chakra to propel herself, she came swooping down _like a ballistic missile. _Anyone else would have been skewered completely, but anyone else wouldn't have had the Sharingan on and analyzing. Right as that swirling sharp ice fist was about to connect, Sasuke swung his arms about in a sword-catching maneuver, stopping her punch in mid-action and trapping the move between his lightning encased hands as they both fell downward through the forest.

"You DON'T get it, do you, Uchiha!" Fubuki yelled as they continued on falling down, going too fast with too many obstacles in the form of branches to effectively use her wired kunai and dragging all the way. "I know all your secrets! Just like that act you pull! You aren't cold, rude and distant because you're indifferent to others' opinions about you!"

They slammed into a tree, Fubuki holding him fast and her voice becoming bittersweet as she whispered into his ear. "It's because you're afraid to show just how much your family meant to you. That you don't want to get close to anyone so you can avoid that pain. That deep down, you're still that scared eight year old boy, crying in a corner for MOMMY and DADDY to come for you!"

"**SHUT. UP!**" Sasuke roared as a _second _Fubuki landed on a treetop across from them.

"Looks like you fell for it, Sasuke. When I passed by the moonlight, I created a decoy clone and hid behind its blind spot of the moonlight to grapple you down so I could strike." Fubuki's six remaining wired kunai flew right beside her as she jumped towards Sasuke. "Now you're trapped and can't get away while I make you into swiss – "

That's when Fubuki lurched in midair, tumbling and swirling before coming to a dead stop. "What the hell?" she demanded, finding herself unable to move before realizing what happened: She had flown into a wire trap, ensnaring her in place, just like a fly caught in a spider's web.

"Strangely enough, I _did _notice your Ice Clone," Sasuke gloated as he began pushing the clone off him. "I fell on _purpose! _To lure you into MY trap, not the other way around!" He had first disappeared below the first bunshin and set up this trap while his Homing Fire Dragon kept her busy, just waiting for the chance to spring it.

Fubuki groaned as Sasuke hammered in the last nail to the coffin. "I do believe it's the first time a _spider _was trapped in its own web, wouldn't you agree?"

"Almost…" the woman conceded bitterly. "If not for _one _thing."

"And what might that be?"

A smile appeared. "That's not an _Ice_ Clone!"

That's when the Fubuki bunshin turned a deep blue, revealing her to be composed entirely of ice as it began snaking down onto his body. His hands were first, followed by his feet, which the ice froze directly to the tree behind him, locking him in place. "It's a _Freezer _Clone! Designed to get in close with an opponent, and encase them in ice! Your stupid little plan only worked to MY advantage!"

Sasuke cursed mentally in his mind as the ice continued creeping over his limbs. He then began focusing Katon elements into his hands and feet. He wasn't used to doing both at once before and found himself exerting his Sharingan to guide the control elements. At the same time, Fubuki was struggling to get out of the wire trap he had sprung on her. Each of her six remaining kunai were tangled extensively into the wires, and as a result, the hardest time she was having was getting those out of the mess.

"Face it, _Uchiha_, you're just a small little kid who tries to act tough by lashing out at everyone around you," Fubuki taunted.

Sasuke didn't bother to reply to that as the ice started to melt. Perhaps it was because he had a chance to stop and recollect himself (or even the ice cooling him down in the most literal of ways), he was surprised to see he wasn't as angry as he thought he would be over what the Ice Maker Witch was stating. Her knowing about these issues made him more angry than the actual issues themselves.

Everything about Itachi still burned furiously within his veins, but as opposed to the raging forest fire it had been, it was now more like a shimmering campfire. It was still there, it still pissed him off, but the degree of it had significantly decreased. Hell, a few days ago he would have continued to lash out, forcibly break his way out of his predicament and gone ballistic. Maybe the time he had spent in the Snow Country wasn't for naught despite all the crap that he had been through during this mission.

Perhaps most significantly when he had talked to Sakura about it during their time together in the makeshift shelter.

"So what if I am?" Sasuke replied, the ice seconds from melting apart while Fubuki got her spidery kunai free and began severing the wires about her. His remark caught the woman off guard as she was no doubt expecting another denial. "What's that make you, Miss Armor?"

"I'm a WARRIOR!" Fubuki declared right as both of them broke free of their respective snares.

"Warrior?" Sasuke barked out a laugh as he channeled chakra to his feet and dashed to the side, moving to take out another of those kunai but missed at the last second. "With that lousy armor? _PLEASE! _You're supposed to be a Jonin and you can't take out one little genin!"

He landed against another tree trunk before dashing upward, disappearing into the snow-covered branches as the kunai followed, prodding in for him. "Come on out and we'll see who wins this fight!" Fubuki yelled.

"Come on out? I'm a NINJA! I'm _supposed _to stay hidden and perform sneak attacks! Guess you really are just a _warrior _since you don't know the basics of a shinobi!"

"Shut your mouth!" She hurled an ice bomb at the tree. The exploding shower of ice fragments blew apart the frozen greenery of the tree and exposed the bare branches, but the Uchiha wasn't there.

"A _real s_hinobi, Leaf, Snow or otherwise, would have adapted by now." Fubuki spun around in midair and stabbed once more with her kunai into the tree. "Yet you still try the same old things."

"Don't try and play psychoanalysis with me, _boy_!" Fubuki formed another ice bomb and hurled it. "My Hyouton has been dominating this fight!"

"Oh, I don't need a degree to figure you out." This tree exploded outward, revealing nothing. "See, I've been wondering about your Hyouton. Funny thing about that; it seems you know my little secrets, so you're clearly aware my elements are just Fire and Lightning."

"What is your _POINT_?" The Ice Maker Witch was just about at her wits end. Verbal dialogue she could handle, but not HIDING like a little coward.

"Ice is formed from Water and Wind. Suiton and Fuuton. So… why aren't you _using _them?"

Fubuki fired off another round of Ice bombs, decimating all the nearby trees as she flew throughout the forest. "Ice and just those kunai gets real old, REAL fast! LAME! You have the elements that are the PERFECT counters to mine! Use some Suiton to douse my flames, utilize wind to disrupt my lightning, SOMETHING!"

A chuckle echoed across the forest. "Or are you actually telling me you went the lazy way and only use existing ice for your attacks and don't know any other elements?"

"I'm NOT hearing this!"

"Get a clue! You're no ninja! You let technology fight your battles, you don't bother applying yourself to learn any of the art! You just go the quick and easy route. You don't get the meaning of 'shinobi!'"

"COME OUT!" Fubuki roared.

The chuckle began outright laughter. "So you fight by flying around and trying to psychobabble yourself to victory. What, did you drop out of psychiatry school and suck up to Doto to be a ninja?"

Fubuki had had ENOUGH. She had precious little chakra to spare with the loss of her power seal but she didn't care. She ran through the chain seals and brought her hands forward, forming a large ice orb in between her hands, with swirling winds locked inside.

"You must _really _be good in bed."

"You don't know squat!" Fubuki yelled, holding the large ice orb over head and throwing it with all her might. It hit the nearest tree and exploded in a shower of ice, unleashing a fierce maelstrom. It tore through the trees in rapid succession, tearing them apart like toothpicks. It cleared out every tree within half a kilometer, toppling them over. The Uchiha, not expecting such an attack, was blown through the air, completely disorienting him.

Fubuki was breathing hard. Her eyes were red and her skin even more discolored from the chakra demand the technique had required. A blinking red warning light started flashing on her armor. "Override!" she hissed, smashing the light as she took off flying after her prey, unleashing all six of her spidery kunai at him. There was no thought or reason to her attacks now as she just kept on slashing out at the Uchiha boy.

The first one slashed across Sasuke's back, snapping him back to his current predicament. Folding his wings to his side, he dropped down just in time to land on the treetops, jumping from tree to tree to gain distance. Seeing the castle ahead, he figured a change of battlefields would be ideal. As he leapt away from the next barrage and sliced through one of the kunai, he saw the blimp rising into the air. _And it seems she has the same idea, herding me to the castle. _"What's wrong, no more comebacks?"

Anger flooded into her as Fubuki raced after the Konoha genin as he took to the air, flapping hard towards the castle. Just where she wanted. She could feel her body screaming out for rest, but she plowed on forward anyway. The five kunai left continued to strike at the Uchiha, once again spinning around with two regular kunai in his hands to block. They crossed the field in quick succession. Sasuke took off running on the castle walls, before pressing his legs against it and then jumping right at her kunai, slashing through two more of them. Sasuke then saw the leftover wires wrap around his arms and leg. The wires bit into his flesh as they held him in place. Fubuki came in with a screaming rage, slamming him into the castle wall.

The force of the attack made cracks shoot out like spiderwebs as the Uchiha gasped in pain before Fubuki grabbed the Uchiha's head to slam it into the wall as her three remaining kunai moved in for killing blows.

All she got was a hurt hand as her kunai just slammed harmlessly against the stone wall, the wires having nothing in their grasp. Behind her, the real Sasuke appeared, casually pointing to his Sharingan eyes. "Got you."

It was like a volcano erupted in the Snow Kunoichi. Far too pissed to form words, she used the wall as a brace and began chasing after the genin. Sasuke took to running along the walls again to make full use of his speed once again as he started heading to the castle. Seeing the cliff face behind him, he jumped out into it, folding out his wings. _Alright, now what is your trump…_

That's when an unexpected wind flow came from the abrupt change of elevation over the cliff face. In a snapback like effect, Sasuke found himself losing complete control as he was swept downward in the current. _Oh… that's what._

Those that lived in the Black Fang Castle, especially the crew of the air blimp, knew how the airflow worked around cliff faces. The heat from the sun during the day made the air flow up the cliff face, and during the night when the sun was gone, the winds flowed downward toward the ground. Flying directly into it without this knowledge would cause the flyer to experience severe wind shear that would completely disorient them.

Fubuki, having known about this spot, had deliberately waited just outside the area of effects for just a second before charging in once she was sure Sasuke had fallen for it. "YOU ARE MINE!"

As before, kunai and wire both lashed out towards the Uchiha, aiming directly for the kill this time. They struck all over the Uchiha with the demeanor of a serial killer... for about five seconds, before he burst into a collection of rocks.

"YOU'RE KIDDING! HE MANAGED TO USE A REPLACEMENT IN THAT SITUATION!" Fubuki screamed out at the injustice of it all.

"Damn right I did!" Fubuki jerked. That voice was coming from BEHIND her! Turning around, she looked up directly at the moon, to see Sasuke freefalling from it directly towards her, the Chidori alive in his hands. "It's called _reading your opponent's moves!"_

Fear gripped her more tightly than the anger had. Even with the change of wind flow from the cliff face, Sasuke had more than enough altitude and speed to compensate with it. And with the sheer rock face behind her, she had no where to run! In desperation, she sent out her remaining three kunai to strike incoming Uchiha missile.

Sasuke slashed out at the nearest one, and instead of severing it, grabbed both the kunai and the wire. Electricity zapped down the wire directly towards Fubuki, shocking her immensely and eliminating any possibility of her dodging the Uchiha's next blow.

But in that single, final moment, she didn't scream. She merely looked up at her would-be attacker. What she saw could only be described as 'beautiful'. The lightning crackling in his hand seemed like a radiant light rather than an instrument of destruction. The bat-like wings shone brightly like lightning, giving them a radiant aura of life about them. And while she was sure it was just a hallucination caused by the lightning coursing through her, she could swear she saw _flames _encompassing him.

_A real fire hawk… _Fubuki told herself, surprisingly calm at the moment. _That protects with the divine power of lightning…_

In the next moment, Sasuke's Chidori slammed into the center of Fubuki's chest. It pierced her completely; flesh, bone and armor. The Yuki-nin shouted in agony, her face twisted and distorted from the attack as they went crashing into the cliff face, leaving a crater three meters deep.

Sasuke whipped his hand out, ready to use the Chidori to deflect some last desperate counter strike, but it didn't come. The kunai just lay at her side. "… no need for that…" Fubuki said, blood flowing from her mouth with each word. "… I… know when I'm beat… you win…"

The young man raised an eyebrow as he jumped backwards, looking at her. "Admitting defeat? Admirable, I suppose."

"… perhaps you were right… perhaps I did get caught up in… just winning… and not as a… shinobi…" Fubuki went on, her eyes slowly starting to close for the last time. "… perhaps… we all did…"

"Seems that you really aren't as bad as we were led to believe," Sasuke offered gently. He felt no pity or regret, but he was capable of being kind. When he felt like it.

The woman barked up one last laugh. "… make… no mistake… Uchiha Sasuke… we're bad… we're just… not the… lowest of… the low… there are… far worse characters… out there…" She managed to nudge her head upward, looking him directly in the eyes one with one last effort.

"… I'll be watching… from the other side… you better not lose…"

With that, the last of Kakuyoku Fubuki's strength left her. Quiet as a leaf, she fell from the spot where she was slain and disappeared into the cliff abyss below.

**8:51 pm. AGAIN.**

Naruto looked down to see a huge ice fist coming straight at the six of them. Reacting before he could even contemplate his actions, he went and pulled out a kunai with an exploding tag attached to it.

"I think not."

Rouga Nadare appeared next to him, tossing down several bombs of his own as he grabbed the blond boy by the collar. Their explosions met as Nadare expertly rode the blast towards the castle rooftops, taking the blond boy with him.

As the Yuki Ninja landed, he tossed Naruto along the rooftops. The genin rolled along the sharp, cold stone of Doto's castle before he hit a ledge, bringing him to a dead stop. He looked up just in time to see Nadare already on top of him, a large fist ready.

Naruto reached out with his hand and caught the fist. Not enough to stop the man's attack, but enough to divert it just enough to miss him and redirect into the ledge behind him. Naruto came in with a kick for the man's chest, but Nadare used his arm to block it, then with the _same _arm, shifted his arm upward into a back-knuckle against Naruto's face. Leaping backwards, he used his longer limbs to kick again at Naruto's head, the boy ducking just in time, but saw the stone shake from the force of the man's kick.

Dropping on all fours, much like an Inuzuka attack, Naruto charged forward, swiping at the man's knees. The man jumped up, rearing his leg down for a heel drop on the boy's head, but he dashed off to the left. The boy's blind side.

_Perfect,_ Nadare thought just as his foot touched down on the stone. Immediately he leapt to the same side, following the boy as closely as his shadow as he came down with a right chop towards the kid's left shut eye.

The boy's left hand whipped out and blocked it, a small grin on his face as he twisted around with an elbow to the man, while Nadare – not at all fazed – came down with his free arm for an uppercut to Naruto's stomach, a small wave of chakra zapping him.

They clashed at the same time, both sliding back from each other to opposite ends of the roof. Naruto had been hit on his blind side far too often to not start to work out how to deal with it. Chakra burst to life around Naruto. "Did you really think I'd wouldn't… have… HUH!"

He looked around himself, seeing his chakra bursting free into the night, no longer held back. "WHAT?"

Nadare held up his hand which he had attacked with, revealing the Chakra Restraint Device in his hand before tossing it over the side."Now you have nothing holding you back."

"…I… uh… _huh_?" Naruto just stuttered dumbfounded.

"Too many times have I been denied my chance to prove my worth," Nadare said, looking directly at him. "The Copy-nin is lost to me, and you almost were as well. Now that you are free, I'm _not _missing this chance again. I will face you with _all _you have, Kyuubi Naruto. And once I defeat you, I will finally be recognized among the elite of the elite in the Shinobi World."

Nadare then pointed directly at Naruto. "So I'm calling you out, Uzumaki Naruto! I hereby challenge you to a fight! Holding nothing back! Kyuubi and all!"

A few seconds of silence passed. Even the fighting below seemed to come to a halt. Slowly, a trademark grin appeared on Naruto's face.

"Let's see if you can deal with Konohagakure's Number 1 Most Surprising Shinobi first!"

* * *

**(Author's Note) **Two down, one to go! And now we get to Naruto's fight! It was difficult finding time to write all this since I kept getting wrapped up in volunteering efforts, helping out at my local church and babysitting my nephew. Fun little tyke, but takes way too much energy!

So hoped you all enjoyed the second of the Yuki-Sannin fights as we'll be wrapping them up with Naruto, and then start with Doto's! Yeah, remember him? The guy that KO-ed Gamabunta? He's still coming!

**Hyouton: Aisu Kometto no Jutsu**-_Ice Release_: _Ice Comet Technique_/ Forms a large ice-like boulder and hurling it at considerable speeds. The bulk and mass are suited for direct attacks to smash through the target(s) with pure brute force. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu)

**Supaida-Oujou Kuruma**-_Spider Death Wheel_/ Fubuki's latest piece of armor. It is eight kunai on wires embedded directly on her back, laid out in a formation much like a ship's helm. By flowing chakra into the wires, Fubuki can move them as freely as her own arms and legs. At optimum speed, each of these kunai can strike as fast as a snake with a reach of ten meters. The apparent flaw of this is how easily the wires can tangle each other up if Fubuki slips up just a little. However, she had been training herself for this in the past months during it's creation and tonight was it's first test drive. One of the biggest advantages to this is that Fubuki's own hands remain free for any additional technique she wishes to employ.

**Hyouton: Iiguru Misairu no Jutsu**-_Ice Release: Eagle_ _Missile_/ Creates a small eagle out of ice that works as an extremely fast projectile. The beak portion of the eagle is incredibly sharp, resulting in the target of this jutsu being skewered as a result of both the speed and sharpness of this technique, leaving small, but precise and deadly injuries should it hit an opponent. The likelihood of this happening is high. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) Suggested by The Warrior Within

Referenced WAY back in the Big Melee of Chapter 17 and reposted for reference purposes.

**Reitouki Bunshin**-_Freezer Clone_/ A personal adaptation of the standard Aisu Bunshin (Ice Clone) developed by Fubuki, where the ice formed for the clone converts into motion to engulf and freeze the opponent it tackles, replacing the regeneration priorities of it's predecessor. Speed and rate of expansion is dependant on how much chakra is left in the clone. The longer the freezing process is allowed to go on, the harder it becomes for the victim to deal with it. Thus the beginnings of this process is when it is most vulnerable and it's recommended to engage or distract the victim to ensure the freezing process can continue unhindered. (Mid-B Class Ninjutsu) (Fubuki)

**Hyouton: Aisu Kyuutai Tatsumaki**-_Ice Release: Ice Orb Tornado_/ A far more advanced version of the Ice Bomb. In addition to the standard exploding ice fragments, Fuuton elements are stored inside to unleash a devastating wind storm that can stretch up to _kilometers _if one has ample chakra and skill, which Fubuki is lacking in both to utilize to its max potential. Requires significant knowledge of both Hyouton and Fuuton in order, the latter of which Fubuki only just knows enough to be able to use this jutsu. (Mid A-Class Ninjutsu) (Fubuki)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belong to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	28. Counter Act

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

Chapter 28 – Counter Act

**Black Fang Castle Courtyard**

**8:52 pm**

The ninja of the Snow had momentarily stopped in their infighting when witnessing the San Eihei and the three leaf youngsters flying through the air above their heads. Four of these six individuals went flying over the castle walls to the forest beyond. The other two landed on the castle rooftops and out of their line of sight.

But not for long.

Shortly after the last two figures had landed, a _colossal _amount of chakra erupted into the sky like a raging volcano. Swirling red and purple energy launched into the sky with a violent tendency that shook the entire palace, a feeling that every Yuki-nin felt right in their guts. As if someone had used a Hyouton on all of them, they froze in place, their eyes focused entirely on the rooftops and what was to come about. Weapons were lowered, hand seal chains were stopped in mid-action and hostility faded rapidly as all they could do was watch.

**On the rooftops**

Naruto never felt more _alive _than in that moment right there.

For nearly half a day, he had worn that stupid chakra restraining device on his torso, holding back his strength while forced to hang around like a sissy and watch Doto spit in his face. He could feel the chakra flowing through his body with the strength of a rampaging river. It was painful, but Naruto relished in every moment of it because it meant he was back. The final piece in all this mayhem was seeing the necklace around the Snow Ninja's neck, swaying back and forth against the man's chest. Like it was trying to get back to its rightful master.

Between all that, Uzumaki Naruto was ready to go FULL OUT!

"First move is mine!" Nadare shouted, taking advantage of Naruto's momentary introspection at being freed from the device. Flying through the seals, he launched a Dragon Bullet right at the boy's chest. Swirling with energy, the blond let out a gleeful yell as he put his hands together and batted the ice attack right into the air.

"And that move SUCKED! Here's a REAL opening move!" Naruto declared as he brought out the old classics straight away. One hundred Narutos sprang to life all around him. The Oboro snapped to life around every single one of them as they simultaneously breathed out a large cloud of smoke, far denser than usual due to all the excess chakra within the blond that was just daring to be used.

"Ninpou: Yuki Buriza-do!" Nadare shouted.

He was immediately enveloped in a makeshift snowstorm. The spinning gale of manufactured snow, ice, and fragments of the roof clashed with the chakra-manufactured smoke. Nadare's jutsu had far more sheer force and velocity to it as opposed to Naruto's more free-reigned smokescreen. As a result, the smoke was caught up and diverted from the area.

It didn't, however, divert the horde of Narutos flying down directly towards the spinning snow whirlwinds. Some wielded kunai, others had techniques like the Kaze Kiwa active, while others prepared to launch other moves.

Erupting from the manmade snowstorm came another army.

Dozens upon dozens of Nadares jumped out and clashed with the Narutos head-on, wielding their own kunai and ice jutsu in contrast. The two clone armies clashed openly in mid-air, sparks flying from the clash of weapons and jutsu destroying one another. Flying through the air, the real Naruto somersaulted to position himself over Nadare's frost storm, both his nose and his gut telling him that the Snow ninja was still within it as he activated his Kaze Doriru.

The sharp whirling winds swirled around his body as he let gravity take him back down towards the castle ceiling. As he got close, he flooded more chakra into the attack to make it even more fierce, giving it more than enough force to scatter the makeshift snow storm and revealing the Snow ninja within it.

As well as the Shimo Arashi around his fist.

Nadare punched upward, his Frost Storm clashing with Naruto's technique. It smashed through the tip just like Sakura had done during their duel with the Kaze Kiwa. As the Kaze Kiwa was one of the Kaze Doriru's parent jutsu, it too fell apart when the focal point was destroyed. In response, the Shimo Arashi lost more than eighty percent of its power as it slammed into Naruto's chest. The blond Jinchuuriki gave a cry of pain as the chakra shield shattered his Oboro as before on the iceberg. Nadare then swung his leg around counterclockwise, slamming it against the side of the boy's face.

Naruto went sliding across the palace rooftops, almost to the edge. He recovered with a backflip and landed back on his feet, right on the edge. Flying through the seals almost automatically, the standard Kaze Kiwa sprang to life around his arm, hoping to charge the man before he could recover.

It wasn't enough as Nadare was already charging. Around his arm was the upper half of what appeared to be a crocodile. As they clashed, the ice crocodile bit down around the Kaze Kiwa. It devastated the entire front portion of the wind jutsu, fading it out. The ice crocodile's 'teeth' didn't stop as they bit down on Naruto's hand. He gave a loud scream as it tore the flesh and muscle down to the bone as he tore his away. Nadare's other hand had already grabbed the boy by his collar, hurling him over his left shoulder to slam Naruto's head right down on the stone. "Bring out the KYUBI!"

A Rasengan sprung to life in Naruto's other hand. "Sorry, haven't earned it!" he taunted as he slammed it down on the stone rooftop. It brought about a devastating hole that shook the immediate area, just enough for Nadare himself to lose both his balance and his grip.

The red chakra was healing Naruto's hand as he used it to grab a side of the hole he just made, going by pure arm strength to redirect himself and give his feet a foundation. Channeling chakra to them, he launched himself right at Nadare, landing a solid headbutt right on the man's stomach.

The ice shinobi was stunned by the move, but not so stunned he couldn't react as he whipped out a kunai and slashed outward, preventing Naruto from capitalizing on his advantage while he skidded back on the rooftop. Energized from landing a hit, Naruto ran through three seals, determined to strike back another way!

"Fuuton: Kaze Tate!"

The intense winds erupted around Naruto's body. Naruto had mostly used this jutsu for its intended purpose, that being quick deflection of kunai and other small-scale attacks, but Ebisu had made a point of telling him that the true power behind this technique revolved around how much chakra one poured into it. In theory, if one used enough, one could blow away an entire army. Or so the man had claimed.

Time to find out!

Feeding tremendous amounts of chakra into the technique, the wind shield exploded outward with violent force. Naruto could feel the wind tearing at his flesh, wanting to rip it off him and making it difficult to keep his sole working eye open. Any loose pieces of stone were flung away like twigs and other pieces threatened to break apart and go flying as well. Nadare, still trying to recollect himself, felt the force of the winds rush him all at once, sending him tumbling along the rooftops for several seconds before he managed to place his hands underneath him and manage a backflip to his feet. While in midair, he formed three seals. When his feet hit the stone ground, ice erupted from them and latched the man down.

The Analyst crouched and put his arms over his face to help counter the wind. He slowly began moving forward, step by step, with new ice securing his steps each time as he made his way towards the one-eyed shinobi.

Naruto himself gritted his teeth and began pouring more chakra into the wind. The second he did, Nadare began his own set of seals and slammed his hands on the ground. A ten foot ice wall erupted in front of him. It strained against the wind onslaught, but held firm.

That's when the stone rooftop itself began cracking further, large cracks snaking their way towards Naruto. _He's attacking the ceiling to take away my footing!_

The blond jinchuuriki was forced to abandon his jutsu to move. He wasn't the least bit surprised when Nadare jumped upward from his makeshift wall, blowing out a Dragon Bullet straight at Naruto now that his defense was gone.

Naruto, however, was expecting that. He would have done the same thing. He had already prepared his next jutsu. "Fuuton: Kaze Oshiyaru!"

The Wind Thrust escaped from his mouth, hurtling right towards Nadare's attack. It smashed the ice dragon to pieces easily and continued on to its castor, the chakra-fueled wind striking against the Snow Ninja's snow armor, though the barrier canceled it out. Again, Naruto expected that; his goal was merely to keep the man off balance. Chakra armor or not, he was still in the air and in a BAD position.

That's when Nadare formed the Tiger seal. The ice wall exploded from the series of exploding tags he had planted beforehand. Naruto's eye widened slightly at that as the ice chunks came flying rapidly towards him. Instinctively, he tilted his head down, redirecting his wind attack from the man to the incoming ice chunks. They were blown away with ease, though Nadare capitalized on it, forming a single ice clone which grabbed the original and hurled him downwards towards the Leaf Genin. A large ice needle formed around his arm, making Naruto think of his Kaze Kiwa, only it was a solidified ice version as opposed to his swirling drill.

Canceling his move, Naruto ducked the incoming strike from Nadare before jumping backwards to avoid Nadare's follow up attack. Crossing his fingers once again, Naruto brought to life another great number of clones. He saw both Nadares start to move to attack and counter his army, so Naruto did what he did best.

He just went wild.

Each clone did something different. One would use the Kaze Kiwa. One used the Wind Shield. The Kaze Wana. Kaze Doriru. Enmaku and Oboros galore. Tatewaru. Kaze Oshiyaru. Mizu Dangan. Even if two clones had the same technique, they would aim at different targets, be it the Nadares, the debris around the castle or just to cause a distraction.

And naturally, this mayhem was noticed by the Yuki-nin. If they weren't captivated beforehand, they sure as hell were now!

"Go Kyubi, hit that Crass! Shove a kunai up his ASS!" the Mitsugo Brothers cheered together, even using makeshift pompoms.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Nadare roared, attempting to deal with this situation as best he could.

Sim held up a small flag with the letter 'N' on it, waving it lazily while saying in a dull voice, "Nadare, Nadare, he's our man. If he can't do it - "

"GREAT!" Jim and Tim finished.

The ceiling they were currently battling on was entirely gone as a result of all the fighting, so Nadare was forced to flee to another portion of the castle rooftops. Three Narutos appeared, firing off two Wind Thrusts in combination with a Drilling Water Bullet. Nadare quickly launched a Haryuu Mouko in response. The Ice Tiger collided with the makeshift combination attack, managing to freeze a good portion of it, which only ended up decreasing the force behind it by about half. The rest continued on towards Nadare who stood his ground and threw his arms around the attack as if to hug it. The chakra barrier sprung to life, dispersing the combo attack into a large volume of water and wild wind.

"I suppose you're happy that my own people are cheering you on," Nadare demanded, his entire body damp and his hair covering his face.

"Personally speaking...!" six of the Narutos said together as they surrounded Nadare, and pulling out a Wind Thrust. "I'm NARUTO, not the damn fox, but I'll take what I can get!" Each of the Kaze Oshiyaru hit another Naruto with dual Kaze Kiwas swirling around their arms, hoping to use both quantity and speed to hit before the barrier canceled out the attacks.

"Naïve. I expected much better from you," Nadare declared as he threw out his arms. "Hyouton: Shiirudo Kagavakashii Yuki!"

A swirling shield of snow encircled the Analyst, batting away each of the Kaze Kiwa Narutos in turn. Three of them managed to strike the ground with their Wind Edges, each tearing through the roof and flinging stone chunks everywhere. On cue, the other six Narutos all turned downwards to aim at the rooftop. Once again, the entire foundation of Nadare's footing started to crumble away. "Lemme guess, you're gonna tell me 'friends hold you back', 'you are stronger alone' and all that horseshit! Save the sermon because I've heard it over and over and I don't need it anymore!"

"Only a fool believes those words, Kyubi!" Nadare shouted, slamming his hands down on the falling debris. "Hyouton: Keppyou Abaranshu no Jutsu!"

Nadare immediately began freezing the moisture in the air. The ice surged forward in a mad rush, catching each of the rooftop pieces and freezing them all in place in seconds, effectively 'repairing' the damage and giving him back his footing. The ice continued spreading about to the surrounding six Narutos. All but two managed to jump back in time but the other four were caught by the feet, ice surging up their bodies and freezing them over entirely.

A line of Narutos all jumped in front of Nadare as they charged. "OH, for the love of… make up your mind!" The Narutos all began running in single file, each one being obscure by the ones in front. The lead one had the Rasengan spinning in his hand.

"It's not a contradiction," Nadare insisted, forming the Ice Spear again and shoving it right at the first Naruto. The Rasengan demolished it easily enough, but the short time it took to do that allowed Nadare to maneuver his hand and grab that Naruto's wrist, flinging him over his shoulder like a rag doll. "One simply needs to keep the _bare minimum _amount of friends."

The second Naruto didn't bother with a jutsu as he just launched upward, delivering a series of kicks to Nadare's head, while the third Naruto attacked with punches at the man's center and the fourth one came in with a sliding kick. "Why? So you can terrorize your country with a clear conscience?" the three Narutos mocked.

Nadare had to jump to avoid the sliding Naruto, using one hand to block the punching Naruto and his other hand to block the kicking Naruto in the air. He kicked the one on the ground before landing, grabbing the third and tossing him right into the kicking one. "Because no matter what you do, people will _die _around you!"

The Yuki-nin turned just in time to see two Narutos come at him, one bearing the Shieldbreaker and the other one bearing a Kaze Kiwa. The Ice Spear coming to life, Nadare stabbed it forward, piercing the Kaze Kiwa at its tip and shattering it. The ice point slashed across the Naruto's arm before Nadare kicked him right into the Tatewaru of the second Naruto, the resulting collision revealing them both to be clones as they vanished from the contact…

… as well as revealing a _third _Naruto, having used the other two as blinds in the midst of a _long _seal chain that most definitely had to belong to the boy's stronger attacks. Not giving him a chance to finish it, Nadare held up his free hand and made the Tiger seal. The Ice Spear launched off his arm directly at the new Naruto, who was so surprised he broke off his handseals.

The Naruto took a defiant step backwards, twisting just enough to the side to avoid the flying ice spear by several hairs. As it was flying past, Naruto brought up his arms and actually grabbed it. Spinning on his back foot and not losing any of the ice spear's momentum, he spun around a full circle and threw the attack right back at Nadare. He batted it away with a swift chop, making it fly over the edge and disappearing to the castle grounds below.

Another Naruto had taken up position during this action. These next Narutos, blazing with the Oboro, managed to land on either side of Nadare. Both of them called out the Kaze Wana, pulling Nadare in two directions at once and effectively locking him in place.

"You saw it here, Kyubi! You saw your friends sealed in a lake and nearly drowned! YOU did not save them! Your SENSEI is lost at some iceberg to a random accident!" Nadare shouted.

_What_? the original Naruto thought to himself, still hidden where he was. A new horde of clones burst to life and rained down on the trapped man, bearing kunai. This bastard said he _didn't _kill Kakashi? He remembered back at the meeting with Makino and the others, and one of them had said Kakashi was most definitely killed by the Yuki-Nin. Was this guy just bluffing… or was it possible…?

"No matter how strong you get, no matter what jutsu you master!" Nadare shouted, with a bit of intensity to it. It made the blond wonder if he was talking to his opponent… or perhaps to convince _himself _of his words. "Nigenteki Sai Abaremawaru!"

Two large Rhinos appeared on either side of Nadare, taking the pressure of the Kaze Wanas from the man in between them. Taking advantage of the sucking winds, the rhinos charged, mowing down the two Narutos and smashing them into oblivion. The other Narutos continued down, striking Nadare with all their weapons, only for it be revealed as the Ice Dummy, with the character 'Gullible' on its forehead.

Nadare, the real one, had grabbed one of his Rhinos and let it carry him away from the incoming Naruto melee. Once out of range, he ran through his next string of seals. "People around you WILL die! You cannot change that! You will NOT be able to prevent it! All it does is cause needless heartache and suffering that will scar your very soul! Friends are fine. TOO MANY friends are a burden! Hyouton: Kyuu Rin Woota no Jutsu!"

He hurled the watery ball straight at the mass of Narutos that attacked his dummy. The ball of frigid water exploded on the first one and in an instant, splashed each and every Naruto gathered in that spot. Due to the temperature and nature of the jutsu, it instantly froze the targets into ice.

"That is the life we lead in this cursed world!"

"ARE YOU DONE PREACHING!" He turned just in time to see hear 'RAIDEN!' from another Uzumaki at the edge of the frozen rooftop.

Nadare grunted in pain, automatically bringing his arms over his arms to shield him from the light, while his ears remained unprotected. Even with these limitations, he could still barely manage to detect another group of Narutos coming right at him. Knowing he needed time to recover from these effects, he lifted up his foot…

… and slammed it down right on his frozen rooftop, shattering the ice. As the rooftop began collapsing anew and Nadare fell on through, each of the Narutos collided into each other.

And that's when he realized the real Naruto had been waiting underneath the ice for just that moment as his foot slammed into the man's chin, sending him flying back up high into the air in preparation for the Uzumaki Kyokudo Rendan.

The Narutos that had collided into each other quickly grabbed each other's arms and flung as many of each other as they could up towards the Snow Ninja, getting into position for this move as the first one kicked Nadare to the side. "Your words are those of a coward!"

That Naruto punched Nadare in the gut, sending him upward. "So too many friends are too much for you, loser!"

The next Naruto punched Nadare across the face. "So instead of making something of it, you just give up on it because it's too hard!"

A kick came across the man's chest from the next Naruto. "If you think this world is cursed and that it's gonna make you lose your people, then FUCKING DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

Another kick sent the man tumbling into the middle of the swarm. "AND WE'LL BEAT THE LESSON INTO YOU!"

Nadare had had ENOUGH! Despite not being able to see too well, he made his move. "I'll show you who's a loser, Uzumaki Naruto!"

He formed the Frozen Orb and all but slammed it against the nearest blond loudmouth. It exploded, hurling Nadare away and destroying that Naruto as it launched a shower of hundreds of dense ice spikes in all directions, making swiss cheese of the other Narutos. Nadare quickly channeled chakra into his hands, dealing with his sight and managing to open his eyes just in time to see the blond coming right down at him in that Kaze Doriru once again.

"Nice try!" Nadare taunted. The Shimo Arashi appeared to life once again as he prepared to repeat his earlier counter on this attack. To his surprise, he saw Naruto bring up his unused hand, and formed four one-handed seals.

The Kaze Kiwa sprang to life as he shoved it into the center of the Kaze Doriru. The man watched in shock, not only that the blond brat would dare try something so risky, but also at the result. The two tips were merging and supporting each other. Each technique was spinning in the opposite direction of each other to prevent themselves from grinding against one another and slowing each other down safely enough to use.

And adding SO MUCH MORE brute force to the spinning wind drills coming right at him!

For a fraction of a second as the two hovered in mid-air, the two jutsu battled for supremacy, and this time around… Naruto's makeshift combo won. It pierced through Nadare's Frost Storm move and into the man's hand. The chakra barrier started to spring to life to zap the Fuutons out, but Naruto canceled them himself as his left hand lowered, placing it right on the power seal...

...while his other hand did the seals for the Kibou Te. Like the chakra scalpels it had been based on, it sliced through the power seal, cutting it down swiftly into two portions that barely held itself together. Had it lasted just another second, it would have destroyed it completely. As such, it was only severely damaged. The chakra barrier managed to spring to life and cancel it out before fading out entirely itself, no longer active with the power seal critically damaged. Lucky for Nadare, the armor was still fueling his chakra reverses, so he didn't feel the shock of his chakra capacity dropping.

He did, however, feel the dual kick to his face from the boy.

Nadare went flying down towards the castle grounds, right towards the docked _Ironwill_. Managing to slow his fall just enough, he crashed on the blimp and went rolling along, eventually stopping long enough to look back up to his opponent.

And he turned white as snow.

In the time that he had fallen onto the blimp, the boy had created several dozen clones. Each one wielding that deadly Rasengan move.

Eternally grateful that his armor was still supplying him chakra, he made his next move, knowing he had to pull out a big enough move to stop this onslaught, or there wouldn't be anything left of him.

"Hyouton: Itsukaku Hakuegei!"

From the ground behind him, using up every possible ounce of snow, water, and moisture from both ground and air to form, the humongous horned whale came flying out, its appearance making both rebel and Loyalist flee at the sight to get away from the clashing titans. The giant whale slammed into the Narutos and their deadly attacks. Numerous fissures cracked through the ice whale as it was visibly strained to endure these attacks. Nadare gave a yell, feeding more chakra into the attack to stabilize it, not even noticing the small flashing red light form his armor.

That's when it happened.

It was like a knife was cutting down the recesses of his spine, and his body fluids draining out. It was a pain unlike anything he had ever felt. The strangest part was that it wasn't the boy or one of his many clones. It took him a moment to ponder before he finally realized what was going on.

It was the chakra armor itself.

Between all the high class ninjutsu in such a quick time frame, Nadare knew he had misjudged his limits. He had burned up his natural reverses _faster _than the armor could replenish them. And the nature of the armor demanded it took the natural reserves to increase and fuel the wielder.

Even if it meant the wielder _ha__d no _reserves to give. The armor was going to take anyway. Going farther than chakra exhaustion to… he didn't know what to call it. Depletion? Void? Loss?

It didn't matter because the whale broke apart as a result.

No less than seven Narutos still holding their Rasengans came raining down on him, even as the man toppled over backward, the life leaving him. Had the boy done all this on purpose? Had this… Kaze Kitsune… deliberately cut loose knowing that sooner or later, the toll would be too much for him? Or was it just sheer dumb luck on his part?

Rouga Nadare would never know as those seven Rasengans hit home on him full force, no chakra barrier to protect him, as the attacks finished what his armor had started. The Naruto at the top reached out with his free hand and yanked the necklace off, shouting the last words Nadare would ever hear.

"I'M TAKING THIS BACK!"

Naruto's own reaction to this onslaught on his foe was hidden behind his usual mask to all the onlookers. All they could see was Nadare's body go _f__lying _through the blimp interior. It came as no surprise from the other Yuki-nin when the blimp exploded from the impact. Either making makeshift shelters or running anew, they quickly escaped from the exploding airship.

The blond enigma of Team 7 went flying through the air, the other six clones having taken the brunt of the explosion for him. Pieces of the nearest buildings around the blimp airfield were flung into the air with the explosion, making it shower debris all over again on the damaged castle. Naruto flipped through the air and landed on a small piece of roof that looked remarkably like a snowboard.

_The Yuki-nin, identified as Fuyuguma Mizore, reached behind him and took a snowboard from his back. He jumped on it and snow began flying everywhere. The nin then shot down the snowy slope at an incredible speed._

_Naruto couldn't help but be in a little awe at that little stunt. That actually looked like fun! He made a mental note to try that himself someday._

"Looks like someday is TODAY!" he said, excitement and adrenaline flooding to the max. Using chakra to stick himself to his board, he allowed himself to spin around in the air, screaming at the top of his lungs at the rush he was feeling. It was addicting and he was LOVING every single second of it!

The screams brought the surviving Yuki-nin to the battlements to look, all of them shocked to see the blond Leaf Genin _not _dead, but sailing through the skies on some sort of snowboard like a game.

He came crashing down to the snow-covered slope and slid down with even more pleasure than before, feeling the cold wind whip at his face. It didn't sting as much as he thought it would, perhaps because he was so caught up in the moment. He swayed his body weight back and forth, changing his direction as a result. Gaining inspiration, he crouched a bit, and then leapt upward, propelling himself upward back into the air.

"_**YAHOO!**_"

Nothing could possibly ruin THIS moment!

… right before Naruto turned and smacked face-first into a tree. His limbs were spread out in a comical fashion, and his entire body was embedded a good three inches into the tree trunk itself. Even several of the roots had been uprooted from his collision. Anyone else would have been dead, but the Kyubi chakra was already flowing and fixing the damage.

"… stupid… tree… snowboarding… ow… next time… try the beach… ow… ow… ow… stupid… karma…"

That's when the snow from the branches fell, covering him entirely.

* * *

**Rainbow Glacier**

**8:51 pm. **_**AGAIN**_

With his niece still tucked under his arm, Doto flew from his castle, away from the sounds of fighting that plagued his Black Fang Castle. He had no thoughts to spare for the battle that was raging between those three brats, his forces and these unknown rebels. Not with his goal, his dreams, his TREASURE so close! He could practically taste it!

Koyuki did not move or struggle in his grasp. It seemed she had at last given into the futility of defying him with her own clumsy attempt failing miserably. A lesson those other peons would learn soon enough. They had superior numbers, tech and position. He might take _some _losses, but nothing he couldn't afford.

The Rainbow Glacier, despite its name, was a series of seven glaciers, not just one. Towering glaciers that formed a loose circle, each of them easily fifty meters tall. There were certain times that the sun would hit these glaciers, letting the seven colors of the rainbow dance along their surfaces with the grace and beauty of a ballet show. During Doto's childhood, it was a popular attraction. Since discovering this was the resting place of his brother's fortune, he had banned any future sightings.

The flight to the Rainbow Glacier was a short one as he descended for a landing. Snow kicked up around his feet as he came to a halt. Doto unceremoniously dropped the young woman onto the snow as he walked forward. A small shrine sat right in the middle of the seven glaciers, built by his late brother, and as Doto later found out, was the keyhole to the treasure. He let a small chuckle escape his mouth at how obvious the key should have been when he first started looking for the treasure, but none of that mattered now. At long last, he would get what he deserved!

"So we came here at last, I guess," he heard his niece speak.

Fiddling with the crystal, he walked over and brushed the snow off a small podium, revealing a hole that matched perfectly the Hex Crystal's shape.

Allowing himself to savor this for a mere moment, he inserted the crystal and pushed it all the way down into its slot.

A beam of purple light shot upward from where the crystal was. The entire shrine followed suit and continued outward, making it seem like a radiant snowflake from anyone that had a bird's eye view. The lights dashed across smaller ice ridges to each of the seven glaciers, making them brighten up in response.

"Well?" Doto demanded, looking around. Who cared about some useless light show? "The treasure, where is it?"

Steam spat from the ground all around the two, coming from all around the glaciers. Doto flinched as he began hearing sounds of running water. Darting his head back and forth, he saw small rivers of water flowing from the _melting _ice and snow.

MELTING ICE AND SNOW?

Koyuki spoke first, also captivated by what was going on. Though for completely different reasons. "It's so warm. What is this?"

"A heat generator…" Doto answered, both to himself and to her, his face narrowing in rage. "THIS IS THE TREASURE OF THE KAZAHANA CLAN?"

An image of Sousetsu appeared in his mind, with a large smile and speaking the words. "_The work I am doing will bring wealth to this country!"_

NO! THIS is what his fool of a brother was talking about? It couldn't be something this stupid! Who cared about some useless heat generator! Where were the valuables? The money, the jewels, the rare precious metals! WHERE WERE THEY?

A darker thought crossed his mind. How was he supposed to finance his military plans? With his brother's treasure, he had been certain he would be able to carry out his plans! With no treasure…

And that was on top of the fifty defectors attacking his castle…

The losses amongst his Loyalist faction…

The loss of prized technology like his train…

The damages to his stronghold…

Orochimaru's betrayal that threw all his plans into chaos…

And those three brats spearheading all of this… Uzumaki Naruto. Haruno Sakura. Uchiha Sasuke.

How, how, HOW did three little KIDS manage to unravel a DECADE'S worth of effort in the span of a _SINGLE DAY_!

No, he refused to let this happen! Fine, so the treasure was gone! He could still salvage this! He didn't need this stupid heat generator. Rock or some other country would be BOUND to pay a fortune for this hardware. It wouldn't be enough by far, but it would get him back on his feet. He would strike the Fire Country NOW! Hit them before they realized anything, stall for time so the Leaf Village would remain weak and scared while he fueled his forces and replaced his losses! He would MAKE it work! He would recapture the Kyubi host and this time, hack off his limbs until they found a way to harness the fox itself!

He was not done yet!

That's when he heard someone calling his name. Looking back, both he and Koyuki turned to see which fool dared to challenge him in his pissed off mood.

It was…

* * *

(**Author's Note**) Finally! And that, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, is three out of three! I'm not going to lie… out of all the chapters, all the plans, all the ideas, THIS was the hardest one of them.

Yes, the Naruto and Nadare fight was HARDER for me than the 73 page, 57,000 word MONSTER that is Chapter 17. I'm not kidding, this chapter was more difficult than THAT!

The reason was… because I honestly had no idea how to go about this fight. Name ANY other fight, any other scene, any other circumstance, and I can tell you about the inspiration, planning and ideas I had for it. With all the other fights, especially Sakura and Sasuke's in the last two chapters, I had clear plans and intentions since day one.

Naruto's fight here… had no such thing. I had the basic idea, but no real way to go about it. And even then, the basic idea really wasn't enough to carry the full chapter.

I think part of the reason is… well… _because _it's Naruto. As he is now, he's still largely the same in terms of skill and character to Legacy Part 1. And Tellemicus did such an excellent job of showcasing Naruto's growth. Both in a fight and as himself. The strengths and flaws of his jutsu, how he acts, the depths and capabilities of the Naruto character… that there really isn't anything left (at this point in time) to focus on. Sasuke and Sakura (her especially) are a LOT easier because, let's be honest, Tellemicus really didn't focus on them. And that's not a criticism on him; the story was about Naruto first and foremost. I'm the one that chose to elevate his two teammates further than that.

So the day I finished this chapter – Saturday, January 28, 2012 – after nearly a month of trying to force out ideas for my original concept, I finally threw up my hands and said 'Screw it! I'm not getting anywhere and this is taking TOO long! I'm just going to go with my gut, and hope it all turns out!' And managed to write out the rest of the chapter in a couple of hours. And as a result, I ended up scraping several things, such as Nadare's own 'toy' he was supposed to get for this.

Personally… I think this fight is not as good as either Sakura or Sasuke's as a result of that, but here's hoping you all still found it an enjoyable read. Who knows, maybe I'm worrying over nothing. Certainly wouldn't be the first time.

So, the Yuki-Sannin fights are done. Time for the big bad himself! Hope you're all ready! ^_^

Due to length of time and the nature of the techniques, I decided to repost the old techniques from chapters past in order to help keep things fresh in the reader's minds.

**Hyouton: Tatsu Juugan no Jutsu-**_Ice: Re__lease: Dragon Bullet/_Creates a dragon made out of ice to fly forward and attack the opponent. This jutsu is the counterpart to the Toramisairu, as it focuses on speed at the expense of power, making it more likely to hit than the Tiger Missile, but not as damaging. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) (Chapter 16)

**Ninpou: Yuki Buriza-do**-_Ninja Art: Snow Blizzard_/Kicks up snow, dirt and other natural debris into the air, with the user as the centerpoint where the blizzard is the least effective. The more chakra one puts into the technique, the larger the radius is and the faster the blizzard becomes. (High C-Class Ninjutsu) (Chapter 26)

**Mira Guntai Bunshin**-_Mirror Army Clone_/ Nadare creates a series of mirrors that reflects the amount of clones against him. Through the mirrors, Nadare will produce an equal number of clones. This clones only last about a minute and able to perform one jutsu and cost half the chakra that the enemy used. By flooding the mirrors with chakra, Nadare is able to increase their reflection properties, allowing them to work even when hidden in a dense fog. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Nadare)

**Hyouton: Shimo Arashi**-_Ice Release: Frost Storm/_A jutsu that overwhelmingly increases the punching power of the user while at the same time encompassing the entire fist with fragments of ice, resulting in the blow being bitterly cold as well as sharp. While the punching power is increased, the true damage of this jutsu is in the aftermath. A direct hit can result in a severe case of not only frostbite, but also badly cut skin. This, however, is truly a double-edged sword because the user _must_ be able to not only properly control the cold, but also the swarming ice shards. Failure to do so will result in their own hand – or in the worst case their entire arm – suffering the same when handled correctly, the user will still feel a small degree of the aftermath themselves, but to those that live in the cold parts of the world, this is hardly a hindrance. (Low A-Class ninjutsu) (Chapter 8)

**Hyouton: Wani Baito no Jutsu**-_Ice Release: Crocodile Bite Technique_/ An ice technique meant to counter against taijutsu-based opponents. Ice takes the shape of the upper half of a crocodile body in order to catch the opponent's arm and bite down on it, typically resulting in crushing the opponent's hand or limb and rendering it useless. Entirely possible to completely severe a captured limb given precise timing and control over the jutsu. The main drawback is the weight of this move on the user's arm, making it unsuitable for extended conflicts and to be used mainly as a quick surprise attack. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Nadare)

**Aisu Sochi**-_Ice Step_/A move that forms ice around the user's feet to increase footing in places where having firm footing is precarious and when simple chakra control is not enough. (E-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique)

**Hyouton: Hyouheki-**_Ice Release: Ice Wall_/A Hyouton jutsu that creates a ten foot ice wall for protection against incoming attacks. Notably affective against Suiton and Katon class ninjutsu, where it can potentially freeze a suiton, or douse, if not completely extinguish, katons when it melts the ice. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) (Chapter 15)

**Fuuton: Kaze Oshiyaru**-_Wind Release: Wind Thrus__t/_Naruto gathers a large amount of wind in his throat and then expels it at a violent speed. The wind itself is rather blunt, meaning that when it strikes the opponent, it causes a massive impact on the enemy's body, like being hit by a thrown Tatewaru, though the Kaze Oshiyaru's power is inferior to the Tatewaru by a fair margin. The Kaze Oshiyaru still requires a large amount of chakra and is able to last as long as Naruto is able to exhale his breath, which is approximately thirteen seconds, though it loses power the longer it lasts. (Mid B-Class ninjutsu) (Naruto) (Chapter 8)

**Aisu Bunshin**-_Ice Clone/ _A bunshin formed from the result of ice, either pre-existing or manufactured. Requiring a quarter of the user's chakra to form, the Aisu Bunshin has a degree of durability, allowing it to take several hits before dispelling, as opposed to one. In addition, skilled users can use surrounding snow or ice to regenerate any damage taken. Aisu Bunshins are capable of any physical attack of its creator, but nothing requiring chakra. Meaning no genjutsu or ninjutsu. (Low B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) Created by phoenix718 (Chapter 17)

**Hyouton: Aisu Yari no Jutsu**-_Ice Release: Ice Spear_/ Creates an ice like spike over Nadare's arm that he can use for close quarters combat for both offensive and defensive purposes. With a handseal from his free hand, he can actually launch it like a missile at his opponent. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Nadare)

**Suiton: Booruban Mizu Dangan no Jutsu**-_Water Release: Drilling Wat__er Bullet Technique_/ A suiton designed to go at an _incredibly_ fast speed, created by using what Naruto has learned from both Suiton and Fuuton class ninjutsu (Suiton for the fast water, Fuuton for the sharp drill). With the 'sharp drill' at the front, this essentially makes it a water version of Naruto's Kaze Doriru. However, due to the fierce speed of this attack, Naruto has virtually no control over it, as opposed to a jutsu like the Suiryuudan. This results in him being only able to shoot it in a straight line, which means that aiming this jutsu is also rather difficult. All this makes the jutsu a one-shot attempt: hit and the opponent's screwed; miss and it's wasted. Due to its speed and sharpness, this jutsu can easily pierce things such as rocks, trees, ice, even metal if enough chakra is used. (High B-Class ninjutsu) (Naruto) (Chapter 8)

**Hyouton: Haryuu Mouko**-_Ice Release: Destruction Dragon Fierce Tiger/_An ice technique created by Nadare to specifically counter Suiton class ninjutsu, in the form of an ice tiger. Nadare must be able to quickly determine how much chakra to put into this jutsu, not only to have enough power to shatter the opposing Suiton jutsu, but also have enough strength left to continue on and strike the opponent, a feat few can do. This means that Nadare must use more chakra than his opponent, or his own jutsu will be overwhelmed, or at the least only have enough power to stop the opposing Suiton. (Typically classified as a low A-Class ninjutsu, but it varies since it depends on what type of jutsu the opponent is using) (Nadare) (Chapter 8)

**Hyouton: Shiirudo Kagavakashii Yuki**-_Ice Release: Shield of Glittering Snow_ (roughly)/This B rank defensive jutsu creates a shield of swirling snow around its user. This shield is much more than it appears as physical contact with the globe will at first cause the creation of ice at the point of contact, blocking the blow. This ice rapidly grows up from the point of impact, encasing the hand and eventually arm in ice or surrounding a weapon and forcibly disarming the opponent. This jutsu can also stop less powerful physical ninjutsu but is mostly used as a defense for a ninjutsu-based ninja against a taijutsu type that has entered close range. The longer this jutsu is maintained, the more chakra it requires and it only blocks one attack, although it can block more than one if they hit the globe in quick succession. It appears similar to Kaiten in appearance, except it is made of swirling snow. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) Created by evilballoon (Chapter 17)

**H****youton: Keppyou Abaranshu no Jutsu**-_Ice Release:_ _Freezing Avalanche_/A ninjutsu technique that is designed to deal with overwhelming floods, avalanches and similar natural disasters. While not entirely useful for combat, it does have its uses in battle; such as freezing a rushing surge of a water jutsu. The user will start freezing the area immediately in front of him, then slowly expand in the direction desired, not unlike Fubuki's Hyourou no Jutsu. Once the ice is created, they use that as a jumping off point for more ice to be created, slightly levitating the stress on the user. However, the further the ice travels from you, the harder it is to maintain and control, as such, only skilled users of Hyouton are capable of this move.(High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) (Chapter 16)

**Hyouton: Nigenteki Sai Abaremawaru no Jutsu**-_Ice Release: Dual Rhino Rampage_/ Forms two large ice Rhinos on both sides of him that can be launched simultaneously or individually. The speed is on par with Naruto's Booruban Mizu Dangan, making an opponent hard-pressed to avoid or risk being trampled to death. The two rhinos are incredibly durable, making them all but impossible to destroy. Requires moderate chakra reserves. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Standard Yukigakure technique) (Chapter 17)

**Hyouton: Kyuu Rin Woota no Jutsu**-_Ice Release: Ball of Frigid Water (roughly)_/ This A-rank technique is based off the property that as water freezes, it has to expand into ice. If chakra is used to form a ball of water and prevent it from expanding, then its temperature can be lowered far below water's normal freezing point. This ball is shot at an enemy and upon impact, the chakra used to prevent its expansion dissipates. Basically the water ball impacts, splashing the surrounding area but mostly the target and because of its temperature, it almost instantly freezes into ice around the target. The target's initial contact with the water's sub-zero temperature can also cause instant frostbite. This jutsu is A-rank because of the difficulty in chakra control needed to keep the water from expanding. (Mid-A Class Ninjutsu) Created by evilballoon (Chapter 17)

**Hyouton: Itsukaku Hakuegei**-_Ice Release: One Horn White Whale/_Nadare creates a gigantic whale composed of ice, allowing him to smash virtually anything in his path to dust, such as surrounding landscape if nothing else. Due to the sheer size and mass, it takes an enormous amount of chakra to use. Aiming is not really required for this jutsu due to its sheer size, but it is rather slow to move. If an opponent is caught underneath this whale, death is certain. (High A-Class ninjutsu) (Nadare/Kakashi) (Chapter 8)

And as I'm writing my jutsu list, I realize I completely forgot to have Nadare do his wolf jutsu. I mean, it's part of his own name! Whoops! So, here's an honorable mention due to be me being brainless!

**Hyouton: Rouga Nadare no Jutsu**-_Wolf Fang Avalanche Technique_/ Is a Ninjutsu utilizing the Ice Element created by Nadare. After forming the needed handseals, an avalanche of snow will rain down towards Rouga's opponent. As the snow slides down, it will coalesce into large snow wolves. These wolves can follow Rouga's bidding and attack his opponent. A sufficiently powerful straight thrust can disrupt the wolves and return them to snow. (High B-Class Ninjutsu) (Nadare)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta-reading this!_


	29. Prelude to a Showdown

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

Chapter 29 – Prelude to a Showdown

**(Author's Note) **Chapter is considerably later than I thought. I blame Mass Effect 3. SUCKY ending, but the rest of the game is pure awesomeness and I couldn't stop playing it and write my chapter.

Heck, I wanted to go back and redo all THREE games and mix it up. But I managed to avoid the temptation and finish my chapter.

… for now ^_^

**Rainbow Glacier**

**8:54 pm.**

The snow and ice that had been the most prominent feature of the country was melting away. It seemed as if the country itself was starting to wake up from a LONG sleep. Already the smell of the newly-formed streams of rushing water filled around them. Specks of green, a color so foreign many of the country's inhabitants never even heard of it, were beginning to show signs of growth and rebirth.

Even with the coming night, there was a sense of warmth from the sky. Like the heavens themselves were blessing the land to vanquish the cold and everything associated with it. It was like looking at a perfect stained-glass window that covered the entire sky. Every star seemed to glow with pure radiance as eyes all over the country looked around them. People, regardless of classification, association or profession, were all completely caught up in the moment. Despite Yukigakure still having their constant snowstorm that surrounded the village as their first line of protection, the inhabitants felt incredibly lighthearted with little need to wear such heavy clothes to protect from the weather. Even Doto's most unyielding supporters at Black Fang Castle were completely taken in by the sight and appeared to lose the will to fight as scarred Jonin began rallying both sides.

And naturally there was one stick in the mud about all this. Where others saw hope, he saw despair. Where his country was abound with life, he was seething in rage. Where his troops were ready to stand down, he was ready to blow like a supervolcano worthy of the Fourth Raikage at the idiot that dared come before him.

Kiou.

Doto snarled, not even trying to keep up his usual pretense. "And what do you want, peon?"

Briefly, Doto let his thoughts fall back on this pathetic-looking Snow Ninja before him. He was the very image of a kiss-up to higher authority. He was part of Alpha Team along with that headstrong Ikusa and ambitionless Kiganai. A shinobi who saw no need for taijutsu and used ninjutsu exclusively.

The only part about this peon he approved of. "Well, spit it out," Doto snapped harshly.

"It's about the infighting at Black Fang Castle, Doto-sama." The young man started looking a bit uneasy. Koyuki's eyes settled upon the Yuki-nin, mentally seeing a parallel between this man and an actor displaying a case of stage fright during their first run at a live performance. Incredibly nervous at the prospect of doing something they had longed for.

"Your loyalists and the rebels' fighting has come to a complete standstill. There's a considerable level of damage to your splendid castle. There's also the fact that both sides are being rallied by…"

Doto cut him off. "Then stop standing there, go relay my orders and crush the traitors into the dust! Bring in all of Yukigakure if you have to! Do I have think of everything myself?"

"About… that…" Koyuki saw the Snow ninja's stance shift. If he had been nervous before, he was borderline _terrified _now.

"Is that… really… necessary?" Kiou managed to get out.

The current surroundings suddenly felt ice cold again due to the look of absolute loathing Koyuki's uncle was shooting at the man. "What... did you say?" Doto asked in a slow voice.

"It's just… well…" Kiou stuttered, clearly torn between losing his nerve entirely and trying to stand his ground. It was one of the most awkward experiences Koyuki had seen. Perhaps because she came from the movies where the professionals had already gotten… well… professional.

The Daimyo walked towards the man, each stepped seemed in perfect rhythm with the man's heartbeat. "Are you one of those rebels now, little suck-up?"

"What? NO! It's just…" Kiou trailed off as Doto came right up to him. The big man shoved a finger right in Kiou's face.

"Just. What?" Doto repeated, emphasizing each word deliberately.

Kiou was silent as several memories flashed in his mind.

_Kiou shook his head. "No. Just static. Might be local interference, or just technical difficulties. Not that we need them. We can take on three Genin ourselves. We are _Chunin_, after all."_

_"Don't underestimate them," Kiganai warned. "Remember what the report said: those three went head to head with the San Eihei and held their own." He gave Kiou a stern look. "That's more than you can boast."_

_The other young man waved him off impatiently. "I still say it was pure luck and due to the Copy Nin's effects. If he was here, then we would have something to worry about." His face brightened up as he said "You think if I offer their heads to Doto-sama, he'll let me join the Loyalists?"_

_With that, Sasuke jerked his hand forward, aiming at Kiou's exposed throat. The kunai cut his throat to the point where it hit the tree. Naruto, Sakura, Kiganai and Ikusa all looked on in disbelief, clearly shocked at what Sasuke had just done so casually._

_Kiou was crying freely now. The kunai was jabbed into the tree, having only barely cut the right side of his neck._

_With everyone waiting for an answer, Sasuke merely stood up and walked back to his teammates, not meeting anyone's gaze. "These three are so weak that it doesn't matter if they come again. We'll just beat them down easier the second time."_

_"__**FIRE!**__" Doto commanded and a wall of kunai was launched as Team 7 finished their seals._

_Kage Bunshin Sasuke. "Katon: Karyuu Kyuuzou!"_

_Real Naruto. "Fuuton: Kaze Oshiyaru!"_

_Real Sasuke. "Raiton: Shuurai no Jutsu!"_

_Sakura. "Doton: Daichi Kobura no Jutsu!"_

_Kage Bunshin Naruto. "Suiton: Booruban Mizu Dangan no Jutsu!"_

_Fire. Wind. Lightning. Earth. Water. All the five primary elements fired forth from a member of Team 7. Alpha Team, Gamma Team and the movie crew all looked on with awe and wonder. Seeing such a thing, five elements all at once, was like seeing a thing of legend right in front of their eyes in a sheer __display of power! No one, except upon witnessing a Biju unleashed perhaps, ever expected to see such a sight!_

_Kiganai shook his head. "Look… I'm not trying to convince anyone. You can argue yourselves to death whether to act or not. I'm not making any big speeches, just going by what I see: Three young adults have stood up to Doto, no plan, and are _winning_. Leaf Ninja doing what _Snow_ Ninja should have done long ago. Decide for yourselves on what to do… and if you want to stop me, I'll see you on the battlefield."_

_Without another word, Kiganai took off towards the Castle._

_Seconds passed, then Ikusa and Homare took off as well. The rest of them just stood dumbfounded, looking at each other, wanting someone to say _anything_ on what they should be doing._

_"Don't worry, Hottie!" Everyone turned to see Yashinka dramatically running in place. "Yashinka, the Self-Proclaimed Prince of Snow, shall come save you, Pink Princess!" With a flamboyant gesture, he broke off into a run following the trio from earlier. Hari, Sekimu, and Kakeru soon joined them._

_Followed by every single one of them._

Kiou's earlier attitude. Their interrogation by these three kids. How Doto abandoned those that lost at the lakeside to the coming storm. His melancholic teammate leading those same shinobi. Composing himself, he looked at Snow's leader and spoke.

"I think it's… just time… maybe we… rethink our ways… just a little bit."

Doto's look of loathing, if possible, just became even worse. "So you're a rebel now, too?"

"No! I believe in Snow's destiny! I believe that you can lead us out of the gutters and to greatness! That you can make Snow the top of the world!" Kiou shouted immediately as he tensed up and took an involuntarily step back from the Daimyo. "It's just… we've taken some big losses… we've failed to deal with these three Leaf ninja… maybe it's time… to rethink some things…"

Doto cut him off with a gesture. "You're absolutely right."

Hope flood into the young man, and even Koyuki seemed a bit surprised.

"I've been FAR too soft!" Doto raged, throwing a fist in the air. "Forget petty concerns about the economy and productivity! Those that DON'T fight for me will be put into the factories and working overtime! They'll be paid with food, board, and ALLOWING THEM TO KEEP THEIR LIVES! We'll double our production of chakra armor, weapons and my vehicles of war! To hell with finances, we'll recycle and utilize whole towns and villages to get what we need, downsize living quarters to their maximum potential and use our future conquests to build even more! We will be ready on time and crush the Five Great Villages!"

Now, Kiou was by no means an expert on the economy. People sold stuff that was bought by other people. That's as far as he knew how it worked. Maybe there were smarter people than him that made sense of this and how it could work… but to Kiou, it just seemed like rambling nonsense to him that would just make Snow utterly collapse rather than putting it on top of the food chain. "Um… sir… that's not quite what I…"

Doto already held up a hand in Kiou's direction. "I've heard enough out of you."

The young man froze on the spot, realizing what was about to happen as the Daimyo ran through a series of one-handed seals. The gauntlet on his hand glowed in response. "Just die. Kuro Hyouton: Kokuryu Bofusetsu!"

Punching out forward, Doto unleashed a powerful black whirlwind-like dragon straight at the Chunin. It was only thanks to Kiou's habit of using the Kawarimi to fall back instead of creating the illusion of being hit that allowed him to escape Doto's attack. The black dragon turned through a rock that Kiou had used to replace himself, reducing it a pile of pebbles. The dragon continued on, striking the ground and burrowing through it with fierce resolve, leaving a large, twenty meter wide hole that was perfectly round, throwing the ground up like a geyser from the impact.

Doto put his hand down, his eyes scanning the immediate area. "Running?" he asked out loud as he walked forward looking for the man. "A wise decision, but it won't help you. I'm in a _bad _mood and…" He didn't finish as he heard a small explosion behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that a smokescreen had encompassed his niece. Once it disappeared, she was gone.

"Well played."

Behind one of the Rainbow Glaciers, Kiou panted like a mad man, sweat dripping down his face like he was in a sauna. At his side, Koyuki was on all fours, a result of being unceremoniously dropped to the ground.

"I remember you." Koyuki informed the man, getting up to her feet, as Kiou was trying to calm himself down. "You were part of that first attack on the convoy."

"That's right."

"So why did you help me? If you're thinking of trying to appease my uncle by turning me over, you're going about it wrong."

Kiou was silent, another memory taking place.

_With that, Sasuke jerked his hand forward, aiming at Kiou's exposed throat. The kunai cut his throat to the point where it hit the tree. Naruto, Sakura, Kiganai and Ikusa all looked on in disbelief, clearly shocked at what Sasuke had just done so casually._

_Kiou was crying freely now. The kunai was jabbed into the tree, having only barely cut the right side of his neck._

_With everyone waiting for an answer, Sasuke merely stood up and walked back to his teammates, not meeting anyone's gaze. "These three are so weak that it doesn't matter if they come again. We'll just beat them down easier the second time."_

The Chunin just breathed out to steady himself. It didn't work. "It just seemed like the right thing to do… Koyuki… hime."

Despite herself, the actress gave a small smile. "So what's your plan now?"

"My plan?" he asked with heavy sarcasm. "I think we just saw how effective _my _ideas are."

"It took guts to stand up to your leader and speak your mind about something radical like that," Koyuki said. The words were out of her mouth before she realized she had spoken them. Forcing down the image of a certain blond ninja, she carefully peeked around, seeing her uncle storm around the area looking for the duo.

"Off hand, I'd say running away sounds like a very good idea," Kiou answered after a moment. "Before he brings out the big moves."

Koyuki turned back to her would-be ally her face displaying completely disbelief. "That move was _small_?"

The man just gave a nod. "The Black Dragon Blizzard is just a C-class ninjutsu. Normally on par with the Uchiha's Grand Fireball."

The outcast princess's look of disbelief changed to one of skepticism. "I realize I know next to nothing about the ninja arts, but even I can tell that _wasn't _some common fireball."

Kiou finally turned to face the young woman. "That's why I said normally. He's…" He trailed off when he realized Doto had turned to face their hiding place, a look of sadistic glee on his face.

"FOUND YOU!" he shouted, unleashing another Black Dragon Blizzard towards them. Kiou ran through his seals and placed his hands on the ground, shooting up an ice wall. Doto's jutsu flew forward with the grace of a diving hawk and slammed into the lower right portion of the ice glacier they had been hiding behind, decimating half of its base and about a third of the glacier. Amazingly, it still managed to keep standing. The dragon stuck Kiou's ice wall next, blasting it apart like it was paper, but the combined two obstacles was enough to hamper its power. Even with that, the shockwave from the attack still propelled the two nearly ten meters away, landing hard on the now snow-less ground.

_Lousy time for the snow to melt! Would have been a softer landing! _Kiou thought miserably as he helped Koyuki up. "Now we run!"

"Run where?"

Both of them paled realizing the voice was coming from in_ front_ of them! They snapped around, but didn't see Doto there. That's when Kiou noticed a shadow on the ground, prompting him to look upward. Wings out again, the man was flying in mid-air with a satisfied grin on his face. "The new regime is about to begin, you two can't leave now. Stay… _I insist!" _

Fear shot up Kiou's spine like an electric jolt, almost paralyzing him with fear. "Hyouton: Tsurara Ishuu no Jutsu!" he shouted with the seals as icicles formed from the moisture of the air and ground and promptly propelled themselves at the man in the air. Doto's chakra shield burst to life as the icicles came close, reducing them to mere puddles in midair. As Doto held up his own arm to strike back, Kiou was already working through his next move.

"Fuuton: Reppushou!"

Winds burst life around Kiou and flew right at Doto again, sending those same aerial puddles flying forward and right into Doto's eyes. Doto gave a slight flinch as the liquid stung his eyes, causing him to shut them reflexively as he used his left hand to rub his eyelids. Purely amazed that his tactic worked, Kiou scooped up the Snow princess in his arms and began high-tailing it as fast as his legs would carry him.

_-Flashback, 11 years ago- _

Today was sparring practice outside for the Academy students, who commonly called the Academy the 'Ice Bucket' due to the constant coldness of their homeland and as a result of their lessons from their academy teachers. The weather on this day was bitter cold to where everyone would feel it to the recesses of their bones even while inside a building with the heat turned up.

So, a typical average day in the Snow Country.

"Alright, Kiou, Fukurou," the Academy instructor said as his eyes gazed at the clipboard in his hands, making notes from the previous match. "You're up next."

An eight year old Kiou just looked at them all with a visible scowl as he walked to the ring, already hearing the not so subtle whispers of the weakling having no chance in this fight. He could hear Ikusa and Hari snickering under their breaths as they made the obvious 'bet' on the fight that was coming. Just because he was dead last in taijutsu did NOT mean he was a pathetic shinobi! He was in the top ten, held back only by the mundane physical aspects!

Fukurou, a rather large boy who had actually been held back a year, gave him a nod as he looked Kiou directly in the eyes, not saying anything. He was actually more respectful and honest than the backwash the boy was hearing behind him.

Not that Kiou cared.

"Begin!" the instructor yelled with a chop-like motion to start the match.

Kiou's larger opponent immediately leapt forward, aiming a sharp right jab to Kiou's face, smacking him back… as he burst into a large ice sculpture.

Kiou could already hear the 'boos' and 'cheater' chants as he appeared behind his opponent thanks to the Kawarimi and fired a Tiger Missile right into Fukurou's back, knocking him out of the makeshift ring and flat on his face. That witch Ikusa chief among them.

The Academy instructor attempted to quell his students to no avail. Shaking his head in defeat, he turned his attention to the young student. "The point of this is _taijutsu_ practice, Kiou. Not exploiting your ninjutsu prowess."

"Rule 14: A ninja is to utilize every aspect of his arsenal to surprise and defeat his opponent," Kiou uttered to the man's face with clear contempt. What was the point of limiting skills during any sort of practice match when they were drilled time and time again to do _anything _they could to win?

"You _aren't _a ninja yet," his instructor replied softly, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

"I can't beat Fukurou in a straight-up punching brawl. I know it, he knows it," He pointed to the jeering crowd of peer teens. "_They _know it, and _you _know it."

"The opponent you need to beat," the man continued in the same soft tone. "Is not Fukurou."

After that, Kiou was punished by cleaning the _entire _classroom by himself for a week. It just burned him up! He was GOOD with ninjutsu! He could use techniques of people TWICE his age! Why bother with some stupid hand-to-hand combat when it just got your enemy close to you and gave them the chance to kill you?

-_End of Flashback-_

Doto's next Black Dragon Blizzard struck the ground next to Kiou, a deliberate misfire so the man could send the Chunin flying through the air like a helpless leaf in a fierce wind storm. The young man went tumbling through the air. Doto came flying at him, his right hand drawn back for a right punch, a punch supplemented by the Snow Armor technology that Kiou was fully aware of. It was this technology that could render even the legendary Gamabunta of Mount Myoboku unconscious.

Just like the standard Chunin attire, Doto also possessed the standard Chakra Gauntlets that stimulated a Cloud Shinobi's strength by nearly a factor of four. The Daimyo's version, however, did it FAR greater than a factor of four though…

Seeing this large fist come right at him, Kiou came to a very fast realization.

It didn't matter how good you were at ninjutsu if you lacked the physical capacity to carry out the basic principles. Movement. Placement. How quickly one could go through the hand seals for a technique. A few precious seconds could mean the difference between life and death.

In short, if Kiou had actually done his taijutsu training, he would have the physical skills needed to use ninjutsu in his vulnerable position right now.

As such, he was not able to run through the seals to activate a Kawarimi in time to avoid Doto's incoming Death Punch. All he could do was take the Chakra Pack off his back and throw it at the man.

Doto's incoming punch smashed through the piece of tech like wet tissue. The pieces erupted in a widespread yet still elegant dispersal as they flew in countless directions. It didn't slow Doto down in the least, but it did give Kiou just the time needed to stabilize himself and fire off another wind jutsu to propel himself back to the ground.

He ended up crashing harder than he would have liked. He was nearly positive he had sprained his right ankle from the crash and the air was completely knocked out of him. He'd probably fractured a rib or two on top of that. He let out of shriek of pain that echoed throughout the immediate area as he rolled across the ground a full ten meters before coming to a stop.

And despite it all, he was chuckling. "… ow… think that knocked a few screws loose… cause now I'm thinking even more clearly," he said, putting his right hand on the ground to push himself to his knees. "Even if taijutsu wasn't a necessity, if you suck at it, it's still a weakness you need to compensate for or your opponent will capitalize on it…"

How did he NOT realize all this during the Academy years and during his time on Team Alpha? Oh right… because he was being a stuck-up prick about it… man, this really did come back to bite you in the ass…

_-Flashback, 8 years ago- _

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!"

Kiou did his best to ignore his newly identified teammates. Of all the Academy students to pass the Genin Exams, why did _SHE _have to be on the same team? He'd gladly take anyone… ANYONE… else over this loudmouth hag.

"Why am I with this wussy paper bag?" Ikusa demanded again sitting on top of a desk and swinging her legs madly in irritation. The third member of their team, the ever-silent Kiganai, was casually leaning at an open window, just staring out into space. He was good at that, and Kiou had to wonder for the hundredth time what this kid did for fun. He never did anything, only participated when he was called out directly.

And he was still INFINITELY better than this whining upstart BITCH.

As usual, her 'paper bag' remark caused him to twitch violently and completely demolished any self control he had left. "That's what _I _should be asking! How the hell did YOU pass, you pathetic little loudmouth? Your tongue is the only weapon you have!"

Ikusa stuck her tongue out at him, then pulled the sides of her mouth apart to make a face. "How the hell did YOU pass, you pathetic little loudmouth?" she repeated, using his own words against him.

"WEAKLING!"

"COWARD!"

"JACKASS!"

"SISSY!"

Kiganai just gave a slight shake of his head as he continued staring out the window, knowing it was completely pointless to get involved. That's when he noticed the door opening, staring as blandly as before. "He's here."

Kiou and Ikusa shut up immediately for different reasons. Ikusa because she was visibly intimidated by just who entered, her pupils dilating, breathing slowly. She acted like she was caught in a vice, having her very life squeezed out of her with a bone crushing pinch.

Entering was the _MAN _himself. Followed by a number of aids, his personal San Eihei and of course, their Academy instructor.

The Daimyo of the Snow Country and Yondaime Kagirinai Kachuu himself, Kazahana Doto.

Kiou couldn't help but stare. While the brat stared out of fright, he stared from admiration. This was the man! There was no other way to describe him! The most powerful figure in Snow! Who personally took on both the critical positions in order to make their country function, those being the political head of the Daimyo position and the other being the military might of Yukigakure's personal leader! Holding down one was hard enough, and yet he did both! Never mind the fact that the country was always close to economic crisis, yet he kept things going! A man who _personally _came down to commission the new Genin teams!

How could one NOT be in awe of such accomplishments!

"I see your voices are as healthy as ever," their Academy instructor said with mild anger.

Kiou had gulped nervously, praying to every God he knew that he didn't upset the MAN. It was all Ikusa's fault anyway! Seeing her so rigid and scared nearly made him chuckle. She'd BETTER be worried! He had heard some vague rumor that her mother was one of the criminal Saati Koukennin. Seeing her on the brink of breaking down in front of the man made him retract his previous thought and was immensely happy she was on his team! No way he'd miss seeing Miss High and Mighty crumple before him!

Kiganai, that fool, on the other hand, just turned and gave a nod of acknowledgment to the group of newcomers. Jeez… even now… mere moments away from being officially instated as Genin… by the very MAN himself… and he still didn't even crack a smile! What a bore! What did this pompous jerk want?

"Healthy voices are not discouraged," The… MAN… himself spoke and Kiou lost his voice completely at hearing him talk. Their leader walked forward, surveying the three with a professional eye. "Provided they know when to be silent and fall in line," Doto added harshly, giving a glance to the female member of the team.

Kiou thought his birthday had come early.

"Line up!" Doto ordered. Kiou nearly ran down Ikusa to get into position, while Kiganai merely walked over, putting his hands in his pockets as the three of them all waited for what would be next.

"Suigen Kiganai. Ichigen Ikusa. Shikake Kiou," Doto listed off each of their names as he snapped his fingers. Each of the San Eihei came forward, producing a headband. Being recognized, knowing his name AND having the San Eihei themselves presenting their headbands! It was all too much; Kiou thought he was going to faint on the spot!

"Each of you have proven your worth and value to me. From this day forward, you will serve the Daimyo, the Village Hidden in the Snow, and the Country. From this day forward, you three are now adults. You will be treated as such, and we will be expecting as much in return. Carry yourselves in service to my will, and we'll _all_gain from the future. A future where Snow shall emerge on top of the Snow World, take control of our destiny and make it ours. From this day forward, you are now officially Shinobi of the Snow; rank of Genin. Carry it with you and be proud!"

"HAI!"

_-End of Flashback- _

Doto was walking towards Kiou, who snapped his head upward to see the man coming toward him. Despite the situation and his head throbbing, he was still able to see the man run through the same series of one-handed seals with his dominant hand. "… don't you think you could change it up a bit, boss…?" Kiou asked in spite of himself.

"You aren't worthy to see my other moves," Doto replied in a hard voice that would have made iron seem soft in comparison. He threw his fist forward, unleashing another Black Dragon right at the Chunin. Gulping, Kiou shoved his hands to the ground to vault himself into the air, swinging his right leg around to use his shin guards to try and disperse the move.

At the last second, Doto gestured his hand downward, and the Black Dragon diverted towards the ground instead of slamming into Kiou's shin guards. It hit the ground full force, kicking up the ground with the power of a dozen explosive notes at once. The shredded ground plus the aftershock of the attack hit the member of Team Alpha dead on, tearing through his clothes. His sleeves and legs were in tatters, while his shin guards were blown off from the sheer pressure of the attack, being flung in the wind like scattered leaves in a gale storm. A number of sharp rocks had embedded themselves in Kiou's limbs, stomach and chest. He would have screamed if not for the fact that he was flung into the air, landing in a dead heap ten meters away. So many signals of pain were zipping through his body, he couldn't possibly make a sound to account for them all, his mind just being completely blown.

-_Flashback, 6 years ago- _

Kiou was very pleased with himself. In a mere two years, he managed to achieve Chunin level! Take _that, _all his would-be doubters at the Academy! His team was the first one to achieve Chunin level out of their graduating class. In their FACES!

Currently, his team was partaking in part of the current Academy class for 'Rough Housing'. The common term for the set ambush each Genin was set to undergo. At one point in their Academy year, every Genin was subjected to a surprise attack from a superior ninja in order to gauge their alertness and ability to defend themselves. It could come at any point in the year. Day or night. The students passed or failed based on their ability to react to abrupt attacks, rather than actually successfully defending themselves.

In short, to make sure their guard was always up. Even in this village.

Kiou was currently hiding in the shadows on a rooftop, observing the Academy students leaving the self-proclaimed Ice Bucket on their way home. The instructor had decided today would be three students' time for their ambush. The instructor was seriously considering recommending these three for the same team to Doto and decided to settle on his evaluation on their ambush.

As the three students made their way home, his two teammates struck. Ikusa had been using the Kakuremino no Jutsu, camouflaging herself as part of a fence, waiting for her target. Dropping it, she pounced on her target, putting the poor boy into a headlock and giving an ever-so-slight twisting of his neck, symbolizing a broken neck. Failed.

Kiganai had henged himself as a normal villager, casually walking through the crowds towards his target. Once he got close, he 'accidently' bumped into the student and shoved the handle of his kunai into the boy's stomach. This one, however, manage to deflect the strike with a palm slap, sending the kunai off to the side and missing him. He attempted to kick at the older ninja, who merely spun around the attack and elbowed the academy student in the back of the neck. Just enough to daze him and send him falling to the ground. Passed.

Kiou, on the other hand, used his ninjutsu from afar to stop his target in his tracks, and then fired off a low-powered ice dragon that hit the student right in the face. The student, unable to move due to his feet frozen in place, reacted violently to this as if someone had punched him hard in the face. The student fell backwards, the abnormal angle of his right leg indicating it snapped as a result.

Using the Shunshin, he appeared right next to the downed kid, swinging his rear leg around fully intending to bury the heel of his foot directly into the kid's stomach. Halfway through his swing, a strong hand grasped his leg, stopping it in mid-action.

"That's more than enough," Kiganai stated firmly, looking directly into his teammate's eyes.

"Shut up. I'm doing my job," Kiou retorted angrily.

The other young man's grip intensified, making pain jolt through Kiou's leg. "Your _job,_" Kiganai said with complete sarcasm unlike what Kiou had seen from his uninterested teammate. "Is to show the dangers of the shinobi world to the next class with a practical demonstration. NOT to beat the kids into a bloody pulp or traumatize them into submission."

Memories of his own academy days flashed through Kiou's mind as he finally managed to jerk his leg out of the other man's grasp. "It's one and the same," he commented bitterly as he put his foot back on the ground. "Academy. Ninja world. Other countries. It's all a dark and cruel place. The sooner they learn that, the better!"

_And it will continue to be that way…_

-_End of Flashback_-

… _until Doto-sama realizes his dream for the Snow Country…_ Kiou thought miserably. Here he was. Laid out on the ground, beaten and bruised. Just like all the students he helped beat up so many times. Sure, the world was unfair, but looking back on it all now, he could clearly see his actions were less about teaching the reality and more about just acting out his rage from his own school days.

"Guess it's people like me…" Kiou looked up just enough to see Doto standing at the other end. "And… _you_… Doto-sama… that have made people believe this world is dark and cruel."

"The world…" the Daimyo said firmly. "… is neither dark or light. It's merely a mess. At one time, I thought you understood that. A mess that I will clean up, as I cleaned up snow from my worthless brother. It's hard for me to believe I once thought a fool like you would have realized that. That shows my own weakness and how things have fallen apart. Opposing is opposing the order to fix the mess. And as a Snow ninja, one that utilizes the Snow Technology in our Chakra armor… you should have known better than to think you could win a fight against your Kagirinai Kachuu."

He gestured his hand. "The Chakra Strength Booster that boosts my physical strength far beyond what yours can do. The enhanced strength of a demigod right in my hands! Each of my punches are literally full _ton _of weight that can devastate even the legendary frog Gamabunta with a single blow!"

"… he's a _toad_…"

"Who cares! Same difference!" Doto held out his forearm for Kiou to see. "The Chakra Enhancer! With this, I can use any of my techniques at _half _the cost for _double _the prudency! In my hands, a common level technique can become a high level, and a high level technique can become one worthy of a Kage!"

He slammed his fist against his armor. "High quality STEEL for armor! Not mismatched patches that make you look like a hobo from the cornfield! Which makes taijutsu, the one thing that the Chakra Barrier can't block, completely useless! My own barrier is a FAR superior quality that can handle that five-way explosion that destroyed my train!"

Doto reached behind his neck and tapped it with a finger. "Nerve Amplification Control! Preprograming the very nervous system itself with top of the line Taijutsu styles! In one month, I can preprogram and receive the physical skills that shinobi take a DECADE to learn! Fighting. Stamina. Conditioning. It's all here in one complete package!"

The wings flared out from the back. "The capabilities of flight! Few shinobi can fly and I can CAPITALIZE on this vulnerability! You can't deal with an opponent who can fly over your head. It gives me no blind spot and allows me to see all of my enemy's blind spots!"

"And of course," Doto continued, holding up his arms with the black ice chakra surging around. "My personal favorite. My Black Ice Style! A ninjutsu of my own design! People say that only those with Bloodlines can learn certain skills? I SAY BULLSHIT! I say TAKE what you can and use EVERYTHING at your disposal! Laws and beliefs like Bloodlines should be broken with no remorse! Shatter that limited thinking and reach out to take the skills you want and DAMN everyone else that says otherwise!"

That predatory grin appeared back on the large man's face. "And it seems that one of my pitiful underlings has forgotten all that I'm capable of."

"No… not at all…" Kiou replied, not being able to so much as move a finger. "Never doubted that, or our plans for the future… I was just thinking… that maybe… our _attitude_… should change."

"Let me think about that. NO!" Doto replied immediately as he held out both arms. "Enjoy your trip to hell. Contrary to popular belief, it's _NOT _a blazing inferno!"

At that moment, he fired out two Black Dragon Blizzards right toward his helpless ninja. "It's a FROZEN WASTELAND! YOU'LL FEEL RIGHT AT HOME!"

Kiou just watched helplessly as the two Black Dragons came at him. He closed his eyes and readied himself for death. _Oh well… my life sucked anyway… _

That's when an orange blur came out of NOWHERE right in front of the downed ninja. Around each of his arms were swirling winds that looked like miniaturized typhoons complete with harpoon attachments.

"YOU!" both Doto and Kiou cried out together.

"DOUBLE KAZE KIWA!" Uzumaki Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs. He was intentionally overloading his jutsu to the max, just a hair short of the Shieldbreaker itself, but still keeping the sharp edge for which it was named. The two black dragons clashed into it as the wind attacks bore into them like diamond encased drills. The force would have sent the blond Genin skidding backwards if not for the fact that he was gluing himself to the ground with chakra in his feet.

Giving off a fierce yell, Naruto crossed his arms and sent the two black crumpling dragons flying off to the sides, where they crashed into the ground and blew up the landscape with simultaneous explosions.

Doto made a rude sound. "Little fox, you would do better to roll over and…" He stopped as a series of kunai landed all around him, complete with exploding tags. The papers sizzled just as Doto's glance caught them. Opening his wings, he shot straight into the air right at as the bombs went off. Both speed and the force of the explosion gave him more than enough distance to safely get away from the bombs…

… and right towards a divebombing winged Uchiha with a kunai aimed straight at his skull.

Almost anyone else in this situation would have had a ninja knife driven into their head and dead within a heartbeat, but thanks entirely to his toys, Doto shifted his body just enough to dodge the blow as the boy came flying down past him. When did he get _wings _anyway?

Grabbing the boy's arm with one hand and planting his other hand on the back, he flew downward fast with the boy in his grasp, slamming his would-be assassin to the ground with a pure belly flop that threw up a good amount of the land around them.

Doto stood up as the makeshift smoke disappeared around him and saw a crushed log in place of the Leaf teenager. He gave an open snarl as the winged Uchiha landed right by his knuckle-headed teammate. "Oh for the love of…"

He trailed off as two things happened at once. The first was that Naruto gave a playful slap alongside the back of Sasuke's head. "Way to miss the mark, Kizuato!"

"Excuse me for choosing finesse over showing off," the Uchiha remarked in an even voice as the pink-haired girl appeared, making Doto flinch further.

"You TOO? ALL DAMN _THREE _of you?" Doto yelled out, attempting to speak his mind and for the moment failing. The site of all three of the bugs that had been plaguing him made him remember something else. "Where are the San Eihei!"

"Eternally sleeping in the dirt," all three teenagers said in unison.

"_What_?" Doto yelled, throwing out his arms in disbelief. "One… maybe two… but all THREE? There's NO WAY you could have beaten them all! You three are just kids, Genin! BRATS!" His face was getting entirely red with rage, and the three Genin would later swear they could see steam erupting from his ears as he shouted his next words.

"_**WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO STOMP YOU OUT?**_" Doto raged at the teenagers.

"Personally, nothing less than the combined efforts of the Hidden Rock and Cloud Villages," Naruto replied in a childish matter. "I think I'd be able to take down _half _of their forces before I fell…" He gave a shrug. "But you never know… I might get lucky and get them all. I'm going to surpass all the Hokages after all, it's just natural."

Doto gave an aggravated yell that would be heard for miles, while Sakura just gave a small chuckle into her fist, throwing a comment to Naruto about always having to be dramatic with big flare.

Sasuke just turned craned his neck a bit to look at Kiou out of the corner of his eye. "That was a better showing for being a shinobi than the last time we fought."

"… really…?"

"No," came the reply, making Kiou slump in depression. Koyuki ran over behind her three bodyguards to help the young man as Sasuke looked back at Doto. "But you're on the right track. You gave us critical information about how this blockhead operates. Turning a defeat into a victory."

"WHAT?" Doto shouted, his face going even redder. "SO YOU WERE DELIBERATELY ACTING OFF FOR THESE THREE RUGRATS?"

"Um…" Kiou started, before Koyuki muttered, "Just go along with it. I doubt anyone would believe you otherwise." She knelt down and put his arm around her neck as she helped him up. "Can you three take my uncle?"

"You bet!" Team 7 replied. Each of them were still covered and marked with a series of injuries from not just their latest battles, but from their ordeals as a whole in this blasted country. From scars, to tattered clothes, to signs of fatigue and exhaustion.

And despite this, Koyuki held absolute faith that they would deliver on their promise. Perhaps for the first time since meeting them… or even in the last ten years… a genuine smile appeared on her face. "Go kick his ass."

"Yes ma'am!" All three replied.

Doto gave a small flinch like he had been spat on. Narrowing his eyes and forcing himself to calm down, he looked at his opponents. "Little pests. I hold the title of the Kagirinai Kachuu! That's the LEADER of the Snow Village! You don't earn that for being WEAK!"

"Begging your pardon, Doto…" Kiou said as Koyuki helped him up to his feet. "… but you are a politician first and a fighter second. Through all the years you've ruled, you've never been involved in a direct fight or had your title challenged. No one even saw your supposed duel with the previous Kagirinai Kachuu. And now that these Konoha nin, who have beaten everything you've thrown at them, are here with full knowledge of your tricks - "

At that, Doto gave a very unexpected reaction of laughter. That same cruel laughter he used when he slaughtered Sandyuu's men earlier that day. "Is that what you THINK? That just because you saw a few of my cards up my sleeve, you know my full deck? It seems even my own soldiers have forgotten how truly _terrifying _I can be!"

A mad grin appeared on his face following that as he crossed his arms. "Allow me to enlighten you all!"

Throwing his arms out and giving out an immense yell, a large amount of green chakra erupted from all around the man. Shooting into the sky like a powerful beacon, the column of chakra was so thick the entire thing looked completely solid. The entire ground shook from the output this man was giving off as the man's yell echoed through out the immediate area. Large and numerous cracks appeared all around him. The level of chakra he was emitting had to be on par with when Naruto went Kyubi on Sabaku no Gaara!

"Auto-Chakra?" Kiou gasped out in pure astonishment. "No way… you completed that research!"

"Surprised?" Doto gloated, vastly enjoying the look of complete shock on everyone's faces. "Once upon a time, there was a radio drama during my lovely childhood called Stone Sentries. Stone by day, alive by night. Guardian statues that survived as the protectors of the land from which the Saati Koukennin derived its name! One of my favorite quotes from the show was 'Energy is energy, whether generated by science or sorcery.'

"Well guess what, KIDDIES? That applies to chakra too! Generated by human… or MACHINE, it's still energy to utilize! Jutsu don't know the difference!"

"THIS IS THE FUTURE OF THE SHINOBI WORLD AND WHY SNOW WILL REIGN SUPREME! THE FUTURE IS NOT GIVEN TO NORMAL SHINOBI THROUGH SWEAT AND BLOOD TRAINING OR EVEN MANUFACTORED SHINOBI TO BE WEAPONS FOR THEIR VILLAGES! THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE _TECHNOLOGICAL _SHINOBI!" He reached out with his head and gestured the three. "BRING IT ON, BRATS! THE ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!"

Koyuki gave a small gulp, her insides turning lead from all this. How were these three going to stand against this maniac of an uncle?

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw three hot air balloons coming this way. The same hot air balloons that held Ken, Hidero and Michy. With their cameras.

_Eh… best not tell them that… _Koyuki said, moving away with the injured shinobi. _They don't need to know needless details…_

* * *

**(Author's Note)**

I don't know how many of you care for flashbacks, or in particular, how _I _go about using them, but I feel it's justified here. Not only to help explore how Mr. Crybaby Kiou has developed, but a lot of the material used is original scenes that I've written _and _it has been quite some time since those chapters. My less than ideal updating schedule certainly hasn't helped, so I like to think it's a good refresher for us all (that includes me) so we don't have to zip back to past chapters, wondering 'where did that scene happen?' Hope you all understand and it doesn't bother anyone too much.

Plus, I hope it adequately shows another side to Snow. See _WHY _people are willing to look up and support Doto in his endeavors despite his history. So if nothing else, hope you can tolerate the flashbacks and introspective for that viewpoint.

Also had some comments about people not understanding Snow's "Year Around Genin Ambush" mentioned back in Chapter 15. So hopefully, it's a lot more clearer now and my intentions are more understandable. And if you still don't get it…then I just suck as an author. Simple as that.

Doto is a Gargoyles fan. Who knew? ^_^

Now I imagine some of you are already thinking that I've made Doto too powerful, had too much fun with his various chakra tech pieces, that I'm just making Team 7 even more into Super Saiyans. That's been the entire tone of this story since I can write it purely to my visions and desires (as opposed to, say, Chuuten). So if you haven't liked this aspect before (AKA: Chapter 17), these last few chapters probably aren't going to change your mind. Have gone this far with that concept, so I'm riding it out to the end and hoping it won't be too unrealistic.

That'll be up to everyone's individual opinions if it is or not.

And Team 7 fighting both Nadare, Fubuki and Mizore, then jumping right to Doto has been the intention since Day 1 and a LARGE reason why Kakashi was, and still is, MIA in this story. But to balance things out, I have Kiou do his thing and give Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke some key insight to Doto's capabilities, so they aren't going into this blind.

Also, anyone that thinks like me can probably guess now _when _and _where _Kakashi will finally make his reappearance! Hint: He'll be covering the lingering aspect of the story.

Ichigen – a word

Shikake – scale (small)

**Kuro Hyouton**–_Black Ice Style_: Doto's own version of utilizing Snow's style of the Hyouton. Where normal Hyouton focuses on expansion to freeze an opponent, Doto's Black Ice Style redirects those attributes to focus on swift speed and the sharpness of ice. This comes as a result of Doto giving an unequal union between the Suiton and Fuuton elements to form Ice, this being about 80% Wind, 20% Water. Given that this hybrid style is unproportionalized, Black Ice is notably unstable and prone to collapse, but Doto gets around this by having his Chakra Armor compensate for the instability. This makes it ideal for offense, but unsuitable for defense. It's the combination of both Doto's own designs and influence through his Chakra Armor that gives his Hyouton its black color. In addition, any black ice that managed to hit an opponent sticks like tar, leaving a lingering wound that will tear into opponent as they move, no matter how small the gestures.

**Kuro Hyōton: Kokuryū Bōfūsetsu**-_Black Ice Release: Black Dragon Blizzard: _Doto's signature move. Utilizing his Black Ice style, Doto unleashes this black dragon of fury to shred an opponent to pieces. Even if it misses, the recoil will produce shockwaves that will launch any nearby person(s) into the air. The lifespan of this jutsu is approximately twenty seconds, but in that time frame, Doto has a large degree of control over his jutsu, allowing it to bend and turn according to his will to increase the odds of hitting his target. It normally has as much potential as the standard Gokakyu, but thanks to the influences of Doto's Chakra armor, its actual power is closer to par with Sasuke's Katon: Karyuu Kyuuzou. (Mid C-Class Ninjutsu) (Kazahana Doto)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta reading this!_


	30. Kagirinai Kachuu

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 30: __Kagirinai Kachuu_

**Rainbow Glacier**

**9:13 pm.**

Doto wasted no time in acting. Hands flying through the seals, he shoved his fist forward to launch his Black Dragon. The attack shot forth with amazing speed and precision toward the three youths of Konohagakure. The scarred Uchiha, still in his winged bat-like form, flapped his wings and took off into the air. The girl did a one-handed handspring to the side, her form dancing in the thawing snow like she was perfectly at home. The blond, however, deliberately held his ground at the coming attack, and just made a face, just _daring _Doto to try and hit him. A fraction of a second before the Black Dragon would have pulverized him, Naruto activated the Kawarimi, making Doto's attack hit some log.

"MISSED ME!" Naruto called out from about ten meters to the west as he put his fingers on either side of his mouth, stretched it out and made an obnoxious noise.

Once again, Doto's face went red with fury, _hating _this cocky little brat! Again and again, he unleashed his Black Dragons at the hellspawn, no longer even caring about taking the brat alive to get the Kyubi. He just wanted this scum _DEAD!_

The Black Dragons continued flying, striking the land all over in an attempt to hit their targets. The attacks blasted crater after crater all around the Glacier, shaking the nearby land like a small earthquake. And still all three of them managed to avoid the strikes, moving around like shinobi three times their age.

"_HOLD STILL, YOU LITTLE TWERPS!" _he raged as his attacks hit nothing but dirt and soil instead of human flesh. His barrage wasn't earning any hits, but at the same time, it prevented them from doing anything else except dodging. Deciding enough was enough, he focused his efforts completely on the blond midget. "HERE YOU GO, ONE-EYED _FREAK!" _he shouted, throwing a taunt at the boy to see how _he _liked it.

It worked as the boy skidded to a halt, shooting the Snow leader a glare that made his face even more foxlike. Perfect! Doto reared back his arms and sent two more Black Dragons at the blond Genin, only instead of aiming at him, he focused his attacks on either side of the blond, counting on the shockwaves to hit him rather than the direct approach.

And it worked beautifully. Naruto went rolling across the ground thanks to the dual shocks encompassing all possible retreats. Capitalizing on this further, Doto brought his hands together for a standard twelve handseal sequence.

"Kuro Hyouton: Chou Kokuryū Bōfūsetsu!" A _bigger _Black Dragon shot forth from Doto's fist, this one's head bearing a more bulky shape like a battering ram as opposed to the spherical shape of the earlier dragon attacks, its sights set directly on one Uzumaki Naruto.

"Doton: Doryuuheki no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted, spitting out the mud right in front of him. Having only seconds left before impact, the ten foot wall began emerging protectively in front of him. However, it only managed to reach half of its completion before Doto's jutsu slammed into the wall, blowing it apart into countless pieces of various sizes; some no bigger than a grain of sand, others about the size of Naruto himself.

The boy himself went tumbling through the air and would have crashed head-first into one of the Glaciers had it not been for his female teammate leaping up and catching him. Doto intended to exploit this and kill two birds with one dragon, but was stopped when he saw a growing shadow at his feet.

The Uchiha!

Sure enough, Sasuke was dive-bombing as fast as he was able, mentally grateful for the prior fight with Fubuki to let him get a sense of his flight capabilities. Flying downward with the purity and grace of a hawk, he held a kunai ready to slice off Doto's right hand with it, knowing that even if Doto had the physical conditioning to react in time, he was completely caught off guard to do so.

That's when a piece of his armor opened up and a small metal claw fired out, opening like a hungry predator in the Leaf Ninja's path. Thanks to his Sharingan, Sasuke saw it coming and was able to change his course even at the speed he was going.

Unfortunately, that didn't help with his _landing _as Sasuke managed a controlled roll along the ground. Meanwhile, another compartment opened up and a second claw came at him.

That's when a whip of water lashed out, batting the claw away from the Uchiha boy. Both he and Doto looked on to see Sakura with a determined look on her face as she lashed out with her whip again. The water and claws clashed several times with deadly precision very reminiscent of battling snakes lashing out at each other. Seeing an opportunity Sasuke quickly ran through the string of seals and shot out a quick Shuurai at his teammate's Suiton. The lightning traveled down it right toward both of Doto's wired claws and shocked the weapons as it had with Fubuki. Whipping out another kunai from that woman's holster now at his leg, he severed the wires with one quick slash, sending the two metal claws through the air.

Doto growled in his throat, preparing his next move, when their blond teammate beat him to it. Using a nearby lake and the lingering amounts of snow and puddles, he unleashed his Ijoufu Suiryuudan right at the man. Doto was about to fly off to get some distance when he noticed Naruto himself was riding on top of the dragon.

"So you want to challenge ME to a battle of dragons, boy?" Doto demanded as he took off into the air. "FINE WITH ME! CHOU KOKURYU BOFUSETSU!"

Doto's Extreme Dragon clashed in mid-air with Naruto's Grand Dragon. The colliding force resulted in a brief but intensefreezing rainstorm around all the immediate area, like the very weather itself changed with this clash of the titans. As for the instigators of this clash, Naruto leapt off when his dragon ended and piledrived himself straight into Kazahana Doto himself, sending them both hurling back to the ground.

Doto's Nerve Amplification programming kicked in, his arm moving around of its own accord as he braced himself to prevent him slamming his skull into the barren earth. Flexing his fingers, he threw himself back on balance and swung his over arm around in a devastating chop to the blond's neck, removing the boy's head from his shoulders.

Only for smoke to appear in place of Naruto, cutting off Doto's gleeful joy and turning it into unrelenting fury.

At that exact moment, three other Narutos appeared all around Doto. Two of them had been hiding behind the debris of the boy's previous Earth Wall, while the third actually henged himself into the debris.

_Nice! _Sakura thought, realizing her teammate's scheme. Naruto had deliberately let himself fall for the taunt in order to set things up. He knew that his Doryuuheki wouldn't be enough to block Doto's followup attack; it was just a setup so that when his wall blew apart, clones would be able to hitch a ride and conceal themselves on other parts of the battlefield, while the decoy Naruto made _sure _Doto was put in place.

The next moment delivered on what the hyperactive blond had been preparing: The three Narutos all performed the Wind Shield simultaneously. All three fed their chakra into the technique, resulting in more and more power to the turbulent winds. Soon enough, they began feeding off each other as much as the three blonds. The maelstrom blew Doto off his feet and sent him flailing about like a helpless leaf.

Right into a _fourth _orange and black clad ninja waiting for him. _This _one with a loaded Rasengan with Doto's name on it. "SPECIAL DELIVERY FOR ONE STUCK-UP _ASSHOLE!"_

Despite all his sophisticated technology fighting for him, despite being flight-capable with his physical conditioning and programming, Doto was unable to readjust in time to meet Uzumaki Naruto. The _only _thing that saved him was the chakra barrier spinning to life around him just as Naruto shoved the Rasengan towards his face… and the man was _still _able to feel the spinning orb of chakra only half a foot away, tanning Doto's face from a lush pink to a slight red color.

Naruto, for his part, had not forgotten about the chakra barrier. He _wanted _for it to try and stop this jutsu that he shared with the Yondaime Hokage. There was no doubt in his mind which would be victorious between some technological piece of crap and his own pride and joy that was his self-created jutsu. Even while the chakra needed to maintain the Rasengan was burning his hand, turning it bright red with blisters appearing, he continued. To show that arrogant hothead of a ruler that no matter how many toys you had, _NOTHING _could replace good old-fashioned _determination_. The dark intention reflected in the boy's single visible eye, combined with how close that spinning chakra orb was making its way to Doto's head, left its mark all the way down on Doto's _very soul._

Needless to say, the man profoundly _wet himself._

New surges of adrenaline from fear and thoughts of self-preservation kicked in before it was too late, accomplishing what his programming skills could not. Yelling out in anger, to drive away his fear AND to teach this smug little BOY the way of the world, Doto rotated his left arm in a near perfect arc and slammed his left armored arm into the Rasengan, right on the chakra enhancer.

The result was a brief, forceful explosion from the jutsu as it shredded through the tech piece. Doto felt his left hand go slightly numb as both he and the boy went flying back from each other _despite _the soaring winds, a single crack appearing along his power seal unbeknownst to him. Never before had Doto experienced such _s__hame_, and only in the darkest corners of his mind could he admit to himself just how close the boy had come to ending his life.

Upon seeing the two blast away from each other, Sasuke and Sakura leapt into action, determined to use Naruto's setup to win this fight. The scarred-eyed boy took a deep breath and blew out his Karyuu Kyuuzou while Sakura threw two quick Faiatamas. Fueled by the minimized maelstrom the blonds were producing, the wind fed the flames, causing them to rapidly grow in size and power as they flew towards the man in the air.

"NOT THIS TIME!" Doto hollered at the top of his lungs, already running through his next seal sequence himself as he inhaled deeply. "Kuro Hyouton: Dogou Ryuujin!"

Exhaling hard, Doto blew out an _astonishing _amount of Black Hyouton at the small group below him. It took the form of a dragon's head a full thirty meters across, leering out eagerly for a meal. Opening its mouth, it smashed through the magnified flames of Team 7's fire and wind combo like glass. Halfway through to its targets, the Dragon God attack erupted in on itself.

It tore through the landscape like it was nothing. Entire sections of the ground were ripped up and thrown about, the Rainbow Glacier itself shaking violently from the explosion with several cracks appearing through it. Team 7's flames were quickly extinguished through the violent wind pressure of Doto's attack, as well as completely dispersing the wind produced by the clones, sending them, Sakura, and Sasuke all flying in different directions. Even under such conditions, the Kage Bunshins were able to reposition themselves in mid-air, allowing Sasuke and Sakura to avoid slamming into the ground to their probable deaths. Two of the clones hurled Sasuke upward to where the third one was supporting Sakura.

Scooping the girl in his arms, he flipped his wings upward to slow their fall as the three clones slammed into the ground, exploding into small puffs of smoke. Even with the higher altitude, the winged Uchiha was unable to completely avoid Doto's jutsu's aftereffects. The two held each other tightly as they landed back within the Rainbow Glacier, bouncing and rolling along the ground. They landed on Sasuke's right wing, pain shooting up his spine like a hot iron poker.

Doto, his face covered with a number of scratches but relatively unharmed due to his foresight to fly as far away as possible, flew back over to the glacier, seeing the two stunned on the ground. _Got you! _Doto thought happily. "Playtime is over, kiddies! Kuro…"

He never got the chance to finish as he heard more of that popping sound of clones coming to life. His nerve programming allowed him to slightly divert to the side as the first clone came flying at him, allowing Doto to elbow down on the blond double and dispel it…

… and to realize just how many more there were. All around Doto had to be dozens of Narutos. His jacket was gone, exposing his bare chest to the world. His chest, arms and face – with _both _eyes wide open – were all covered with scars and markers of the explosion. But what drew the man's attention was the red chakra surging around each of them. That kitsune silhouette again.

At once, Doto was railed on by all the blonds. The Kyubi's chakra fueling their actions, they actually bounced off the Rainbow Glaciers in a frenzy, coming at Doto from every direction imaginable. With Narutos raining down on Doto, he found himself unable to move even a few feet, his actions entirely consumed with weaving and dodging the blonds' kunai, wind jutsu, and more of those damned Rasengans at him. All Doto could do was use his arms to slam into the clones and destroy them. But for everyone he took down, two more seemed to take their place. And they were getting dangerously close to scoring several hits.

Once again, Doto had a grim realization that he would have never admitted out loud: His technology just could _not keep up!_

"FACE ME, UZUMAKI!" he demanded, slamming his fist into three more clones at once while narrowly avoiding another hit to his back. "COME OUT AND STOP HIDING BEHIND THESE – "

That's when the Naruto frenzy exploded from several dozen Narutos to nearly _five hundred _right as Doto said 'clones!'

"_I'm the real one!" _"No, me!" "Can't you tell, _baka-daimyo, _I'm the real one!" "Number 1 Leaf Shinobi, right here!" All the Narutos declared together at the top of their lungs. All that babbling was driving nails into Doto's very skull. Too. Much. TALKING!

To make matters worse for the head of the country, _ALL _the Narutos dogpiled themselves together, forming a massive orange ball as they clung to the Daimyo. Many of them had exploding tags sizzling, ready to go off as they kept right on with their motor mouths.

"Uzumaki Naruto right here!" "Next Hokage at your service!" "What's wrong, cat got your tongue, Daimyo_-sama_?" "I'm here, what you gonna DO about it?" "Seems like the BIG man can't take it!" "All talk and NO Bite!" "Loser." "Coward." "Bastard."

"_**STOP. TALKING!" **_Doto roared. He pushed his Auto-Chakra generators to their max. The violent force of auto-chakra exploded from all around him, throwing all the clones off him. They went flying through the air, landing on the glaciers, the ground, and even each other.

… as well as revealing a one-winged Uchiha Sasuke soaring through the air once more, Chidori flaring on his left arm and _seconds _away from striking Doto's face, which was now sporting what could only be called the 'Oh _SHIT' _face.

_The clones grouped together to lock me in place for the Uchiha's attack! _Doto realized as Sasuke thrust his electrified arm right at the man's throat. As before, Doto's chakra barrier sprung to life. _Unlike _before, with Uzumaki's massive power, the Uchiha had speed and momentum on his side. His face came forward at a steady pace. The chidori's power sizzled out with each passing second, but both knew all Sasuke needed was just enough to cut open Doto's throat and doom the man.

So that was when his programming came into play just as his power seal sported another crack. Doto darted to the side as Sasuke's attack cut into his flesh. A fresh scar appeared across the Kagirinai Kachuu's face, blood seeping from the wound.

"Guess for all your technology, you have one _far _more basic weakness," the boy taunted. "You can't keep track of us _all_."

Anger exploding within Doto once more, he got back his second wind as he threw a punch right at the Uchiha, who casually backflipped out of the way. That made Doto pause for a second. With those eyes and his position, why would he _fall back _instead of attacking again? Did he fear another hidden contraption on his armor, or perhaps he had a healthy respect for if Doto _did _land a punch?

When he felt something on his back, he instantly realized the truth as the boy's previous statement flowed through his mind.

The _other _one was behind him!

Sakura, having been propelled upward by a few Narutos on the ground, slammed her hands right on the back of Doto's armor, leaving behind two exploding tags on his back. Planting her foot on the base of his neck, Sakura shoved herself up higher just as the bombs went off. Doto took several more aerial somersaults to regain his bearings just as Sasuke caught Sakura's hand. "Good job."

The kunoichi didn't reply, only narrowed her eyes. The damage hadn't nearly been as bad as she hoped. She reached down for Mizore's weapon holster she had appropriated when she realized it wasn't there. _Must have come loose with the explosion. _Making her decision, she merely told Sasuke "Be ready."

Sasuke just looked at her in confusion. That confusion swiftly changed to disbelief as Sakura loosened her grip on her teammate's hand and dropped herself back down. Just as Doto recovered to start flying again, both of Sakura's feet slammed into his head, making him see stars. With nimble actions, she swung herself right on his back again, surveying the damage. The wings were only half attached now, and there was a large crack on the right side, spilling energy.

Planting both hands on the wings, Sakura gave a yell. With one determined act, she pulled down with all her might and _tore off _Doto's wings with her bare hands.

"YOU FOOL!" Doto shouted, seeing his wings falling to the ground. "We're STILL IN THE AIR!"

"Yeah," Sakura agreed as they both began falling. "Gravity's a _bitch,_ isn't it?"

Just which member of Team 7 was the _reckless_ one again?

Sasuke then realized what the girl meant when she said 'Be ready' as he twisted his body to a forty five degree angle and divebombed downward towards the falling pair. Doto himself looked like he had snapped, giving off random twitches and all sense leaving his eyesight. He reached around and grabbed the girl's right arm, and then positioned the female member of Team 7 to break his fall. He raised an eyebrow as he saw the Uchiha soaring at him. He punched forward, firing off another Black Dragon Blizzard at Sasuke, forcing him to dodge. Gesturing his hand, he diverted it downward to the dashing blond horde. The Black Dragon smashed right into the ground right in front of the blonds, blowing them back the way they came.

Right as Doto slammed Sakura into the ground.

"SAKURA!" both boys shouted.

When Doto made no gloat about taking one of them out, they looked over again. They saw it was not Sakura pasted all over the ground, but a log. Seems she managed to use a substitution in time. Relief poured over the two as Sasuke landed right beside the blond enigma, his curse seal receding back to his normal appearance.

Without a word of acknowledgment to each other, they ran forward as fast as their legs could carry them. Doto saw the two of them out of the corner of his eye and spun around, a punch ready for both of them, to which they dodged to the side and landed their own punches on the man.

Doto's face changed from outrage to glee as his entire being became entirely black. Skin, armor, the works. Cracks appeared everywhere, spreading through the body at a substantial rate. A clone! _He must have switched out with the clone when he fired off that last dragon attack! _Naruto realized.

A curse following from both male's mouths, 'Doto' shattered outward into thousands of small glistening shards. They formed lines in a cube-like formation all around the boys. Sharingan scanning, Sasuke saw the ice solidify all around them, locking them inside a box.

_And once it's all done, the remaining shards will expa__nd rapidly, freezing me and Naruto in the blink of an eye! _Sasuke understood through his red eyes. This clone trap was an upgraded form of Fubuki's Freezer Clone. Sharingan spinning, he pointed to downward at a corner. "Naruto! Hit that spot _NOW!"_

Naruto responded without complaint, whipping his Kaze Kiwa to life around his right arm and stabbing the lower right corner of the cube. The lowest part of the cube was also the last part to be formed, making it the weakest section to exploit. The wind jutsu pierced the corner, blowing it apart with ease. Sasuke acted swiftly, throwing himself out and grabbing Naruto by the hair (since his jacket was gone, there was no collar to grab). He could hear his teammate yell in pain as hair was pulled from his scalp. Both of them rolled right as the cube froze in on itself, then toppled over from the loss of its corner foundations.

"DUDE, I AM WAY TOO YOUNG TO GO BALD!" Naruto roared, slapping Sasuke's hand off his head so he could nurse his tender hair.

Sasuke snorted. "Better bald than a popsicle. You're welcome, by the way." He then began looking around. Now where were Sakura and Doto?

A small scream from the glacier alerted him and Naruto as they both looked over, Sakura flying at them, her arms crossed protectively in front of her. Sasuke caught the girl in his arms on instinct, but the excessive force still made him crash right on top of the blond, much to his shock. He began flailing his arms about as Sasuke landed right on top of his head, making Naruto do a very accurate impression of an ostrich.

"You alright?"

"NNSFFFS!"

"I'm okay," Sakura replied, rubbing her hand on her right arm, which had a large red sore on it. "His punches might be deadly, but his _kicks _aren't worth much."

"_NNFFFS!"_

Still being ignored, Naruto planted both of his hands on the thawing ground and shoved his head up, revealing that his face was entirely blue from lack of oxygen. Sasuke and Sakura landed _on each other_ right as Naruto took grateful breaths of sweet, _wonderful _air. "CUT THE LOVELY DOVEY STUFF ALREADY! Some of us still need to _BREATHE!_"

"Oh _children…" _came a sing-song voice that snapped them all back to reality. Standing just in front of the Rainbow Glacier was Doto, that predatory grin back on his face full force. What caught their attention was the spinning black ice maelstrom in his hands. "Guess what, _Uchiha_? I have ALL of you in my sights now! Kuro Hyouton: Ryuuguu!"

The spinning orb shot out from his hands like a cannon blast right toward the trio as they moved to untangle themselves to avoid it. Three meters from impact, however, the orb expanded rapidly. It grew into a huge dome nearly a full ten meters across. It enveloped Team 7 within seconds. The spinning black ice whirled like a tornado, the icy cold winds locking the three in place. The center was the only spot where they could move at all; the raging winds beyond that spot were too fierce to allow any movement.

"You two alright?" Naruto asked, hugging himself and shivering. What he wouldn't give to have his jacket back!

"Been better," Sakura answered, looking around as her hair danced around helplessly. "Sasuke, how about you?"

"Fine," he replied simply as he looked around, his eyes scanning for a weakness. He had no room to run, so his speed was useless. His eyes did catch the next action just in time for him to yell "HIT THE DECK!"

All three teens flung themselves to the ground as a chakra beam launched out where their heads had been moments prior. It traveled with such intensity and power it was able to pierce through the maelstrom easily. Team 7 also noticed the temperature had significantly increased as suddenly they were all _sweating._

"Still _alive, _my previous little kiddies?" came Doto's voice again. "No cocky comebacks anymore?" His laugh filled the air. "No escape for you _THIS _time. With my palace, you won't be able to run, dodge, or even use that stupid Kawarimi! You're stuck in one place as I blast you to smithereens! I don't even have to aim!"

_True enough, _Sakura conceded to herself as she wiped her forehead. The intensity of that chakra beam was absorbed by the storm. So even if the blast missed, the heat from it became a part of the maelstrom. _A few more blasts and this thing will become a superheated oven!_

"So you're basically admitting your aim _SUCKS?_" Naruto shot back.

"Not _helping,_" Sasuke told him as Doto answered with three more chakra blasts at once. Issuing instructions to his teammates, they were able to move just enough to avoid the blasts as the heat level rose again.

Which just caused Naruto to just laugh out loud.

"Losing it, Fox Brat? I don't blame you!"

"You really are just a BAKA-Daimyo!"

"_WHAT DID YOU SAY?" _Doto shouted back, no longer in a jolly tone.

"You should have just killed us while you had the chance instead of just playing with us!" Naruto answered.

"Naruto, telling the bad guy better ways to kill us is _NOT _in our best interests!" Sakura yelled at him.

"Relax, Sakura!" Naruto replied, putting his hands together. "All these blasts just proved my theory. _High speed _jutsu can still pierce this storm! And if there's one thing I've learned after _all this time_…"

_All noise in the audience seemed to be ground to a halt as they watched the blonde fall towards the Hyuuga's perfect defense. The only noise was a battle cry from the attacking boy who didn't falter in the slightest. Even as he reached the very top of the sphere._

_Naruto's outstretched arm hit the sphere. At first, for what seemed an eternity, nothing happened. Then gravity began to work its magic. It pulled Naruto's body downward, forcing his spinning chakra to merge into Neji's. The sudden mergence allowed Naruto's arm to pierce the outer shell and enter the Kaiten. His arm passed through as far as his elbow before the rest of his body hit the Kaiten._

_XXXXXXX_

_In response, Sakura gestured her wrist again and the water whip moved like a snake, shooting itself directly at Naruto's Kaze Kiwa. The tip of the wind technique met the tip of the water jutsu as the two collided. The wind drilled at the water, splashing it in all directions, but more and more of the whip forced its way through._

_Naruto watched in disbelief as the tip of the Kaze Kiwa began to collapse inward as a result of the whip's force. Wind continued to shred water while water continued to push, and the wind's tip went from resisting to struggling, until it shattered completely. The boy's eye screamed pure disbelief as the water dashed onward while the raging winds died out, wrapping itself around Naruto's arm like a snake and moving towards Naruto's throat._

_XXXXXXX_

_That's when he noticed Homare in the air above him as he shot down another Razor Ball at the top of the Wind Shield. An image of his match with Neji where he pierced the Kaiten appeared in Naruto's mind._

_AH CRAP!_

_Naruto shut off his Wind Shield as fast as he could, which was not easy due to how much power he had put into it, which must have been Homare's plan: shoot his Wind Punch and make Naruto put so much energy into maintaining it, he wouldn't be able to shut it off to escape when the Razor Ball came flying down, pierced the top of his shield, and slammed into his skull._

_Hell no! At the last second, Naruto managed to shut it off, then jumped back to avoid the blow. Barely._

_XXXXXXX_

_Nadare punched upward, his Frost Storm clashing with Naruto's technique. It smashed through the tip just like Sakura had done during their duel with the Kaze Kiwa. As the Kaze Kiwa was one of the Kaze Doriru's parent jutsu, it too fell apart when the focal point was destroyed. In response, the Shimo Arashi lost more than eighty percent of its power as it slammed into Naruto's chest._

"… _it's that the center of the dome is the WEAKEST SPOT!" _Naruto shouted as he finished his seal sequence. "Suiton: Booruban Mizu Dangan no Jutsu!"

Drawing what moisture was left from Doto's own attack and from the ground itself, Naruto launched his jutsu. Due to the growing heat of the dome, the water drill was only at a third of its usual ferocity, but it was enough. It pierced through the middle of Doto's Dragon Palace and through the center of it, shattering it to pieces. With its focal point gone, Doto's jutsu fell apart on its own just as Naruto's Fuuton jutsu had each time.

Just in time to see that Doto had already fired off another chakra blast at them, revealing two small chakra cannons that had opened up on the top of his shoulders.

"Katon: Karyuu Kyuuzou!" The Fire Dragon erupted from Sasuke's mouth right at the chakra beam. It exploded on contact, resulting in a seven meter deep crater halfway between the fighters. The tremors caused by the blast threatened to knock down the Rainbow Glaciers, but they held for the time being. With that blast, Sakura tossed down two smoke bombs to help hide their presence.

_THEY ESCAPED AGAIN! _Doto actually did pull some of his hair out in his frustration, making him partially bald. He was so consumed by his rage he barely registered the windmill shuriken flying right at him.

"Reduced to little _toys _now?" he demanded, his eyes filled with malice as he chopped at the windmill shuriken… right as it exploded into one Uchiha Sasuke. Doto jolted in surprise as the boy's hands landed on Doto's arm, allowing him to reposition himself for a kick at Doto's chest. Doto went rolling back on the ground before using his other hand to stop himself and jump back to his feet.

"Looks like Kawarimi isn't so stupid, is it, DUMBASS?"

_NO! _Doto thought, his programming turning him around to see Uzumaki Naruto coming at him _again _with that deadly Rasengan!

Remembering what happened the last time he was in this situation was more than enough to make Doto lean back to avoid the blow, though the chakra shield still burst to life around him due to the jutsu's close proximity. He then saw a kunai and shuriken barrage coming at him from the pink-haired member of the team, as well as the Uchiha charging toward him from the left with that Chidori once more.

"IT WON'T END LIKE THIS!" Doto yelled at the three-pronged attack as his shoulder cannons rotated at the two boys. They fired out at point-blank range at the two while Doto swung his leg around to deal with the weapon barrage by firing out another round of Dragon Blizzards.

Only to see both boys disappear into bursts of smoke instead of dying. _CLONES? _Doto demanded, tired of all these tricks and misdirections. _Then where are the… NOOO!_

Too late, his suspicions were confirmed as two of the shuriken changed into the genuine articles. As his Black Dragons hit the barrage with the intent of the explosions knocking them off course, not onlydid the two boys manage to grab a stray kunai out of the air, but they actually _rode _the very explosions _RIGHT AT __**HIM!**_

Images of those shinobi knives cutting his throat sent Doto into a near panic as he punched out in an attempt to stop the boys. Mirror images of each other, they placed their hands on his arms, diverted themselves from their path and flipped forward, their kunai burying themselves into the two chakra shoulder cannons, destroying them. The blasts burnt Doto's shoulders raw as he stumbled back, right as the two boys landed on the ground, spinning around on their heels to elbow the man in the gut. Without missing a beat, they continued their maneuver and slammed two uppercuts right on Doto's chin.

Dotos' head jerked backward, his head spinning like mad. His nerve programming kicked in as did a dual chop at the two as they came in for the finishing blow. Acting quickly, five more Naruto's appeared in front, taking the ton-powered chops for the two real boys, though the gambit destroyed half of them and made the last three, including the real Naruto, fly backwards. In turn, it allowed Sasuke the opportunity to slide downward for the Shishi Rendan.

And hit right on target, striking Doto on the chin yet _again, _much to his howling fury as he was launched into the air.

The remaining two Naruto clones grabbed the original and hurled him into the air just as they exploded out of existence from slamming into the ground. Soaring into the air with Doto, a wicked grin appeared on the hyperactive ninja's face as he crossed his fingers.

With more Kage Bunshin exploding all around the man, they began battering him around with the Uzumaki Kyokudo Rendan, with each clone shouting out each syllable. Unlike Nadare, Doto was unable to get himself out of this constant barrage of punches and kicks. With the last pair – one Naruto doing a double backknuckle while the other did a drop kick – Doto went soaring downward back towards the land.

His body was so battered up and sore that the nerve programming was starting to malfunction. As a result he was unable to do anything but watch as the pink blur came at him, her first pumped and ready.

"_SHANNARO!" _Sakura cried out as she punched Doto right on the damaged power seal on his chest with all her might. The seal burst apart into several pieces, both big and small. "SASUKE!" Sakura shouted as a few of the pieces cut her arm and face. "NOW!"

Doto slammed hit the ground from the girl's punch as the girl shouted. Just as he managed to stagger to his feet, the Uchiha managed to get into position and fired off his Shuurai no Jutsu. With Doto's chakra barrier gone, the lightning arched unhindered to its target: The back of Doto's neck. The lightning jutsu _fried _Doto's nerve amplification controller, using the device against him as the electricity traveled throughout his nervous system, earning an earsplitting scream of pain from the man.

After what seemed like eternity to the man, it finally stopped. Silently, he tumbled downward face first into the earth, hardly moving and barely breathing.

Despite all the pain, he was still conscious as he could see the three forms of Team 7 looking down at him. _No… it… can't… it won't end l__ike this! I… REFUSE… to let it end like this…_

Out of the corner of his eye, he looked at the earth. Pure, natural soil. For once without any ice or snow to cover up its beauty. Before, Doto had always disregarded it. The Snow Country had never seen this before, so he didn't see any reason to care for it.

And now, for the first time in his life, he thought he finally understood the appeal.

_This… _Doto thought to himself, blissfully unaware of whatever Team 7 was about to do. _This… is what it all was for, __wasn't it, Sousetsu?_

With that thought, Doto's mind drifted back. Back to the early days. Back to when this all started…

_At long last, the past will be revealed. What _really _happened all those years ago during the night of the coup? Where was __Yukigakure's ninja force during all this? Why were the Saati Koukennin branded as traitors? What was the previous head of Snow, Tanomoshii Mikata, doing during all this time? Why was Kakashi in such a place? And just what did happen between the brothers So__usetsu and Doto?_

_Is it a tale of vengeance?_

_Jealousy?_

_Resentment?_

_Misunderstanding?_

_Or perhaps all of these?_

_Or maybe even… something different altogether?_

_Read and decide for yourselves…_

… _who was in the right…_

…_and who was in the wrong._

_Next Chapter: History of Snow_

* * *

(**Author's Note**) Alright, let's take care of the Elephants in the room first. Those of you that have seen the movie know that Doto was finished off with the whole Rainbow Rasengan, or Seven-Colored Rasengan. For those that haven't seen the movie, during Naruto's skirmish with Doto (which is FAR shorter than my version) as the dawn raises, the sun reflects off the Rainbow Glacier, producing the Rainbow/Seven Colored Chakra from the Princess Gale movie and combining that with Naruto's Rasengan allowing him to finish off the creep.

I actually made the decision early in the story to _not _include this maneuver in my own story. It wasn't because I disliked the idea; I had just taken this story my own way. From expansion of Snow, to its ninja, to the background segments I've hinted that. Plus, the fight includes Sasuke and Sakura as well, and I just didn't like the idea of a solo finishing move from just Naruto. This story has been about _all _three of them and their internal dynamics based off Part 1 of the Legacy of the Rasengan series. So I decided to forgo it in favor of my own designs, as I have done with everything else.

I also imagine many of you are thinking. _'NO! No flashbacks! This a bad time, finish off the bastard already!' _While there are times I do think cutting to a flashback in the middle of things is a bad idea, I actually think this is the most appropriate time for it. Doto is on the verge of death, and not doing so hot. He's watched his homemade empire crumble around him thanks to three Leaf teenagers, and his decade-long plans… I really think it would make him start wondering and questioning his life decisions. Given those same decisions have affected the future of an entire country.

It will be only _one _chapter, and then we can wrap up Doto's portion. Fair enough?

Speaking of the next chapter, it's one I've been waiting to write for a long time. Exploring all the dynamics and history as a result of my machinations. So I do hope you'll all enjoy it… all three of you that probably care about such things.

But as I've said with other portions of this story, I've put a lot of thought and effort into all the elements. Backstory is part of that, and I like to show the fruits of my labor.

With that all said, I do hope you've enjoyed the fight. This one I actually had a little trouble planning out with what I wanted to do (looks back at the Naruto fight) so I do hope it appealed to the readers and that I haven't lost my touch on creating fights for this series.

Otherwise I'm in _big _trouble when it comes to writing Chuuten.

Dogou - Angry Roar

Ryuujin - Dragon God

Ryuuguu - Palace of the Dragon King

**Auto-Chakra **is a line of research headed by Doto and limited to only himself and a few trusted associates. While rumors of such a project are known throughout Snow, only that handful have any actual comprehension of what the project means. It is a pair of small generators located on the back by Doto's shoulders, each the size of a fist. They use solar power to produce energy to mimic the spiritual and physical combination that produces chakra, creating a chakra-like substance that is just as efficient. The generators are able to function to up to four straight hours of continuous energy. However, once used up, requires a full week of recharging before the generators can be used again.

**Kuro Hyouton: Chou ****Kokuryū Bōfūsetsu**-_Black Ice Release: Super Black Dragon Blizzard_/ An upgraded version of Doto's signature move with three times the power and strength, as well as depending on three times the chakra. The lifespan of this jutsu is only six seconds as opposed to the Kokuryū, but travels at a speed far greater than the its predecessor. Doto's Chakra Armor's boosts only make this jutsu deadlier still. (Mid B-Class Ninjutsu) (Kazahana Doto)

**Kuro Hyouton: Dogou Ryuujin**-_Black Ice Style: Angry Roar of the Dragon God _(roughly)/ One of Doto's most powerful attacks requiring high amounts of chakra that Doto is unable to produce naturally. Unlike most Black Ice Style, this attack is far more condensed, giving it a more 'solid' appearance. This gives it a massive amount of sheer brute force capable of demolishing just about anything in its way. Then, much like the Karyuu Saikou Kyuuzou, it denotes with extreme force. One common element it does share with other jutsu of this style is its instability that even those with the _best _chakra control can't overcome. It's highly possible for the jutsu to explode right in Doto's face upon delivery. In addition, due to the sheer amount of area it can affect, easily sweep up Doto himself in the blast even with his flight capabilities, making this attack an extremely risky gamble. (High A-Class Ninjutsu) (Kazahana Doto)

**Fuuinjutsu: Reitouki Torappu Bunshin**-_Sealing Jutsu: Freezer Trap Clone_/ A combination of Fubuki's Freezer Clone and Yukigakure's Four Divine Beast Sealing technique, requiring an advanced knowledge of sealing and Hyouton. Upon a hit from the enemy, the Clone will unfold into a cube-like formation around the attacker(s). The ice forms a solid like barrier to prevent the opponent(s) from escaping as it forms, but the formation is also the time when it's most vulnerable; all the more so when utilizing Black Ice instead of normal Ice given the former's instability. As with the Freezer clone, the speed and rate of the expansion is dependent on how much chakra is left within the clone. Upon completion of the cube, it will freeze anyone within the confines in an instant. Unlike Fubuki's version, the process is fast enough that a distraction is normally unneeded. (Low-A Class Fuuinjutsu) (Kazahana Doto)

**Reitouki Bunshin**-_Freezer Clone_/ A personal adaptation of the standard Aisu Bunshin (Ice Clone) developed by Fubuki, where the ice formed for the clone converts into motion to engulf and freeze the opponent it tackles, replacing the regeneration priorities of its predecessor. Speed and rate of expansion is dependent on how much chakra is left in the clone. The longer the freezing process is allowed to go on, the harder it becomes for the victim to deal with it. Thus the beginnings of this process is when it is most vulnerable and it's recommended to engage or distract the victim to ensure the freezing process can continue unhindered. (Mid-B Class Ninjutsu) (Fubuki) Included for Reference purposes.

**Fuuinjutsu: ****Shijinjuu Torappu Reitouko**-_Sealing Jutsu: Four Divine Beasts Trap Freezer_/ A powerful sealing jutsu that both freezes the victim and allows drainage of their chakra. The four sealers will bite both of their thumbs and get in the four cardinal directions – North, East, South and West – of the victim. They first bite their left thumbs and use it to draw a quarter of a circle on the ground with the blood, typically only a few inches long. Next they will slam their right hands down on the blood markings, stating the name of each mythological animal associated with that same direction: Genbu for the North, Seriyu for the East, Suzaku for the South and Byakko for the West. Kanji of each beast will appear next to the blood markings signifying the jutsu's activation. Brightly lit chakra will connect the four blood marks together and with a great burst from all four shinobi, that chakra will erupt into a blinding light, flash-freezing anyone and everything within the perimeter into a state of suspended animation. Chakra itself from the individual(s) frozen is also affected, allowing the sealers to draw out chakra from the victim. This is done by putting one hand on the ice, and their second hand on the ground making the sealers act as a conduit as the chakra will pass through the sealers themselves and transfer into the ground, where the chakra will dissipate naturally. This will only work on chakra that is actively being used (such as the execution of a jutsu), thus it is not possible to extract chakra from inside the victim itself. The seal will last for one week before having to be renewed. (High A-Class Fuuinjutsu) (Hari among others) Included for Reference purposes.

**Kuro Hyouton: Ryuuguu**-_Black Ice Style: Palace of the Dragon King/_ An entrapment jutsu employed by Doto. He'll gather his Black Ice in his hands to formulate the dome, or Palace as he calls it. This is the biggest weakness of this jutsu as the time needed to gather the ice makes Doto vulnerable, even with the aid of his Chakra Armor. The more chakra and time he puts into this, though, the wider the effects. Upon completion, he'll hurl it at the target. The Palace will expand outward rapidly and trap foes within its grasp. The speeding winds prevent any foes from moving about except in the very center. This makes escaping near impossible and most enemy jutsu used on this lose its power or rebound on the captured users. Especially with Katon-class ninjutsu, which are just funneled into the Palace to turn it into a furnace that'll roast the occupants alive. (Low A-Class Ninjutsu) (Kazahana Doto)

_I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta reading this!_


	31. History of Snow, Part 1

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 31: History of Snow_

**(Author's Note) **Hello all, been awhile. And the reason for that is rather straightforward and at the same time, makes things complicated. That being, I have finally acquired a job. And as such, that is become my utmost priority. To make things more fun, it's a night job and my mornings are occupied with other responsibilities, such as babysitting my nephew. Prior to my job, it was still manageable.

Now? Now my freetime and energy are in very short supply.

I can't promise quick or swift chapter releases (never mind tendency to underestimate how long my material turns out). All I can promise is the same that I've done throughout this story: That it may take a while, but I am still committed to working on my stories with no intention of stopping. It may take longer (I know, it's been LONG enough hasn't it?), but this still will be done. And once it is, my work on Chuuten will begin for those still interested in seeing it. I'll be writing that as much as myself as for the readers out there.

So without further adieu, let us proceed.

* * *

_I was born 42 years ago. The second child of Yokan and Makiba of the Kazahana Clan, who had ruled the Snow Country for 97 years at that point in time. I was the younger brother by two years to my parent's firstborn, Sousetsu. Those days… hard to imagine those days now… they seem so distant now… like several lifetimes ago._

The Kazahana Castle had stood ever since the clan had come to power. Unlike Doto's Black Fang Castle which was designed to be intimidating and flaunt his power for those he ruled, the Kazahana Castle looked like it had been designed by an aspiring towers surrounded the perimeter, beacons of welcome and warmth as opposed to cold stone sentries that people associated with Black Fang's watchtowers. The gates, a pair of simple large oak doors, were more of a formality as they were rarely closed, in contrast to Doto's approach that liked to keep them closed much of the time and force people to wait to get inside, for the few that had reason to come. And the inside was shaped much like the outside.

Makiba was a woman from the Lightning Country who had immigrated to Snow years earlier. No official standing to her name, but she came to work at the Kazahana Castle as an interior decorator. A woman with a known green thumb, she had been distraught at how bleak the surrounding landscape was, so her first order of business was to import various plants and trees from her homeland. And since they could not survive outside due to the harsh winter climate, Makiba had them located inside the buildings themselves, placing plants and even small trees in the hallways and every room she could.

She even spent an extensive amount of time outside attempting to start gardens on the somewhat warmer days. These attempts always ended in failure, but she never gave up in her efforts.

It was her green thumb that had drawn Yokan's attention. Yokan was known as a fair, yet strict person. Guiding his subjects with a gentle hand, but always ready to make that hand a fist when the need came. It was Makiba's redecorating that had drawn the man's attention to the woman, and the new sense of _life _she brought to the Castle that motivated him to court her and later wed. Issues raised about the fact that she had no noble lineage were quickly disregarded due to the woman's green touch.

On their twelfth anniversary, Yokan commissioned the construction of a greenhouse in recognition of his wife's desire for a garden, something that still eluded her after all these years and still had yet to give up on. Meanwhile, Makiba had gone and imported many exotic plants and flowers for it, making it, as many referred to it as, a true oasis in their wintry desert.

And that was currently where eight-year-old Doto was sneaking through. "You really think this is the _best _way, Nii-san?" he asked his co-conspirator.

Sousetsu looked back towards Doto and flashed a wide grin. "Of course it is! Construction on this greenhouse is halfway complete and workers have weekends off on building this! That means no one is paying attention to it _and _it offers perfect cover for wandering eyes!" He slapped his younger sibling on the back. "You've got to look at the _bigger _picture, Doto!"

_Bigger picture. That's what Sousetsu always said in those days. Always wanting to push the boundaries, always looking for loopholes with a thirst for exploration. The worst thing you could do was tell Sousetsu to 'Keep Out', it only make him even more determined to see it, which is what we were doing that day._

_Father had said that the armory was being renovated and that we were supposed to stay out. You would have thought Father would have learned by that point that telling Sousetsu such things only encouraged him instead of having the opposite effect._

Of the two, Sousetsu was smaller than Doto despite being two years his senior, and a lot less muscular. A large part of that was because while Sousetsu often spent his days studying, Doto was drilled by the Sergeant-at-Arms. As usual for the heir, Sousetsu was dressed in fine clothing that would cost an entire village, while Doto wore far more casual clothes. Not that he didn't have fancy stuff as well – thought it was a lot less than his brother – it was just that he didn't have as much of a need for it given he was constantly working and training, activities that would have ruined fancy clothes as his parents constantly reminded him. But what really identified them as siblings was their faces, both having many similar features, most notably around the chin area and the closeness of their eyes.

"You know if Otou-san finds out, he's going to blow a gasket right?" Doto reminded him.

"You worry too much!" Sousetsu replied, waving him off like the thought was an annoying fly buzzing around. "That's _if _Father finds out! After all, if we don't get caught, we won't get caught!"

Doto slouched at that, his face in an even line. "… aren't you supposed to be setting an example for me, Future Daimyo?"

His elder brother made a face. "Oh, stop that! Nothing's going to change when that happens!" He threw an arm around Doto. "We'll still be the Ultimate Duo! Your muscle to my brains! My determination to your iron will! My resolve to your foresight! My…"

"… monkey to his ape?" came a voice, making both boys jump into the air. They both snapped their heads around towards the speaker.

Tanomoshii Mikata. A young girl who was between Sousetsu and Doto in age. A bit smaller than them, dressed in pink pants, a white dual layer shirt and closed-toed sandals. Flower designs were arranged all over her shirt, giving off the impression she was a real flowery girl as opposed to being the protégé of Yukigakure's Dobei Mamori, who headed the Ice Guard, the detachment that protected and guarded the Daimyo's family. As such, she was a constant sight at the Castle, learning under the Snow Jonin. While she appeared as a delicate flower, she would quickly become a vengeful viper to anyone who dared call her such. To her, there was nothing wrong being a girl in the common sense and being a shinobi. And anyone who disagreed with this, she would either give you a tongue lashing, or just beat the crap out of you. Usually both.

A fact that Sousetsu and Doto learned first-hand when they first saw her. Mamori, _horrified _that she had beaten up the heirs of Yokan, had feverishly apologized over and over for two days straight, repeatedly slamming his head against the floor as he bowed, even proclaiming he would commit seppuku to make things up to this, _despite _Yokan's statements of saying not to get overworked over a 'kid's squabble'. In fact, the first thing Yokan had done when hearing about this incident was laugh gleefully, something that just made Mikata flustered.

And she was the love of Doto's life.

_To me… she was a _real _flower and not just because of the way she dressed. There was so much more life in her than all the flowers Mother collected combined; a real sense of beauty about her, walking with an air of grace that would put any real plant to shame. Even that temper of hers was often masked by her poise and grace that I always felt was a fitting metaphor for a rose's thorns. It wasn't apparent at first, but it was there nonetheless if you rubbed her the wrong way. That fire, that _PASSION _she would show whenever someone ticked her off… that's what truly made her beauty bloom into absolute magnificence._

"Better an ape to a viper!" Doto shot back, sticking out his tongue in emphasis.

Not that an eight-year-old boy would ever admit such things.

"Keep quiet!" Sousetsu snapped at the two of them, hushing them. "You'll get us caught!"

"Wouldn't have this problem if you had taken_ me_ with you," Mikata told him.

"'No Girls Allowed!'" The brothers said together, crossing their arms in front of them and making a buzzing like noise. "How'd you find out about this anyway?" Sousetsu demanded.

"Oh, please." Mikata rolled her eyes before prompting smiling at the two. "It was so _obvious! _When are you boys gonna learn you have _no _secrets from me?"

"As long as those secrets stay secret, I couldn't care less," Sousetsu said, beckoning Doto to follow him as they approached the wall of the greenhouse, a small window on top. "Now, go pet some ponies or something!"

Mikata just put her hands behind her back, her typical stance when she was confident as Doto got to the base of the wall and put his hands together. "You two are going to get so _busted_!" Mikata sang out.

"Not if you don't rat usout!" Sousetu said, running forward and jumping on Doto's outstretched hands. With a heave, he threw his older brother up. Sousetsu flew up in the air and grasped the window seal before promptly pulling himself up.

"Ha, told you!" he called down as Mikata walked over to Doto. "The windows are being worked on, so there are no locks!" Reaching in his robes, Sousetsu lowered a rope for Doto. "Let's do this!"

"Why do you let him talk you into these things?" Mikata asked as Doto clasped the rope.

He looked back at her and a smile appeared on his face against his will. "He's my brother. What else can I do?"

Mikata stared at him and then gave another laugh. "Good answer! Never let your guard down!" she admitted as Doto climbed up the rope. Getting up to the window easily thanks to his peak physical condition, Doto knelt by Sousetsu. Together they pried the window open, unlocked just as Sousetsu proclaimed. Once it was fully opened, the two jumped into the armory…

… and landed in a large puddle of oil.

Both boys looked down in absolute disbelief, their eyes were wide, their jaws were hanging like broken window seals unleashing silent screams. They flailed their arms wildly to regain their balance, but that proved ultimately futile as they went crashing to the ground, the weight of their bodies pressing down on concealed trip wires that ran down the floor and up the walls to several buckets concealed on the ceiling. Tipping over, they poured down piles of itching powder on the two, and _this _made them shriek.

The instant they did the door opened revealing their father and a number of servants. "Enjoying yourselves?" Yokan asked with a straight face. Mikata appeared from behind the man, sticking out her tongue mockingly. "Told ya to not drop your guards!" She mouthed the words to the two of them.

_And as it turned out, Father WAS very much aware of what encouraging us would amount to. I'm sure anyone with half a brain could have told us that in advance. We never did find out what was so special about the renovations, but looking back on that incident now, I'm nearly positive father fabricated the story to try and teach us a lesson. Probably with Mikata's "suggestion."_

_The thing was about my brother was that he did have a brilliant mind and remarkable foresight with a sense of presence that made people want to be his friend. He could see things from beginning to end, from Point A, to Point B, to Point C, all the way to Z. He could see and identify all possible routes, angles and consequences. The problem often came with that last one. While my brother would see consequences, they never really concerned him. To Sousetsu, a spanking and being sent to his room without supper was always worth it if he succeeded in his ventures, such as going where he didn't wasn't supposed to. And for a time like this, any punishment given to him was secondary to the fact he didn't get to know what the big secret was._

A week later, Doto was attending to his usual studies under a personal tutor. Just because he was primarily doing physical training didn't mean he didn't have study sessions of his own from time to time. His tutor was a woman in her mid-twenties that seemed to seemed to be made out of wood, always standing up straight with poise and with a stern look in her eyes. Never changing in her routine or mannerisms.

When Sousetsu became Daimyo, Doto knew that he would be obligated to support his brother and be responsible for his protection. So when he was not training with the Sergeant, he had to listen to lectures from this woman about what would be expected of him.

"Your brother will become the leader of this country," the tutor said in that same monotone as she paced in the room. "And you will be there when that happens. Whether behind the scenes or by his side, it is your task to keep the head of this country safe. Not just from outside threats, but external threats as well."

After exactly thirteen steps, she stopped, turned around and paced the other way. "It is the Daimyo's responsibility to guide and lead his people, and in turn it is the people that form the heart and will of the country to give the Daimyo purpose. One part cannot be more important than the other. Just as the head cannot move without the body, the body cannot function without the head."

Once again, thirteen steps, stop, turn. "That is why your role is so important. Your elder brother will be the one that will be making the decisions for the future of this country, but it is _you_, Doto, who must be ready to mend bridges between the government and the people. For if this balance is disrupted, the country will wither and die."

_Balance. The country needing both a leader and the people. One not more important than the other. This had been drilled into my head since I could walk and Sousetsu even more so. My parents said it. My teachers said it. The Sergeant said it. Mamori said it. Even the low-end servants talked about it as they worked. It was the ironclad truth for the castle and of our family. Something to live and believe everyday of your life. Be it the weekends, holidays, the start of the new year. And like the naïve child I was, I believed it. Just as I believed it was Sousetsu's right to become Daimyo. He was the elder, he got the benefits and the glory. That's just the way the world was. I never really resented him for that because Sousetsu was always in the middle of things, and made everyone feel like a part of what was happening, myself included and I can remember thinking 'This isn't so bad. This is not a bad way to live.'_

_How odd that I used to think such things. Time really is a cruel master._

Four months later, Doto was attending his brother's 11th birthday. Just the past week, Sousetsu had been part of negotiations with the Earth Country as part of his royal training. It was supposed to be a simple formality, merely introducing him into the world of political relationships, but Sousetsu not only participated but actually succeeded in impressing the Earth Daimyo so much that the meeting ended on a successful note and increased trade revenue between the two countries, something their father had been trying to accomplish for three years now ever since relations with Water broke down.

So when they had returned, they pulled out all the stops for his birthday, celebrating the date of his birth and that smooth political prowess he had displayed. It turned out to be easily the biggest party Doto had witnessed to date. His parents spared no expense, going as far as to let the servants have the day off and hiring foreign entertainers and chefs to provide the food and festivities. Doto himself was rapidly enjoying himself, even forgetting to tease or ignore Mikata as she blew out sharp whistles for his brother. Doto could honestly say at that moment that he'd never felt prouder of his brother, for he had taken the first real step to his future and ensuring the security of the country. He could remember clapping so hard, his hands turned red.

"To my beloved son, Sousetsu!" his father said, raising his goblet to all around. "Whose actions today prove that he will lead Snow to a successful future!"

The crowd went wild, applauding even harder and harder. Drinks were raised, praises sprouted like weeds and the cheering was deafening with shouts of '_For the Glory of the Future Daimyo!'_. Save for one. Doto found himself stop clapping in mid action.

_That was my moment of first real doubt. All our young lives, we had been drilled that it was _both _the Daimyo _AND _the population that would bring Snow to the future, something that had I had gone over just earlier that very day. Yet, due to one act, suddenly everyone was forgetting the other half of the equation, and just giving sole credit to their future ruler, given what he accomplished would benefit the common people as a whole._

_Of course, I immediately shook it off and rationalized it. Sousetsu did just accomplish something great and he was just eleven years old. And even if he hadn't, it _was _his birthday; the day was _SUPPOSED _to revolve around him. I convinced myself that it was just a momentarily lapse in judgment for everyone else. And really, what harm could come from it, I wondered. What harm could forgetting about it just once, in light of such a huge success with Rock which had a troubling history to it, and letting Sousetsu get sole praise and acknowledgement do? _

_None, I reasoned. At least, at the time._

Two months later, Sousetsu had called Doto to his room at night because he wanted to show him something. In Doto's experience, that typically meant he had some scheme to break into something where he was not wanted. Doto could already picture how this would go as he entered his brother's room.

"Ah, Doto! Glad you could make it!" Sousetsu cried out happily.

Sousetsu's room was very different than the other times Doto had visited. Usually a place that was the pinnacle of cleanness, but now, it looked like a tornado had hit it. The bed was completely unmade with the contents spilled about. Books, normally neatly shelved, were scattered about like fallen leaves, many of them opened with notes scribbled on them. Sousetsu's desk was covered in various tools, what looked like small oil spills, and more papers cluttered all over. Of course, what stood out most was the _smell_.

Plugging his nose, he desperately waved his other hand in the air. "Nii-san, what _happened_ here! It smells like a horde of pigs crawled up in here and died, and then oxen used the remains for their droppings!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," Sousetsu replied rapidly, completely ignoring his brother's reaction. How he could act so normally among such a putrid stench was a mystery Doto never solved. "Just close the door and get in here! I have something to show you!"

Only after he made Sousetsu open his windows did Doto comply. With the night air breezing in, it helped things somewhat as his elder brother beckoned him to the table. "Now, watch."

Sousetu dipped a paintbrush into a jar filled with that oil stuff and began painting it on a spinning top. Painting that oil stuff all around the circumference of the childhood toy. Once he was done, he placed it on the desk and backed off.

At first nothing happened. Then to Doto's amazement, it jumped up on it's own. More than that, it began spinning around! So fast, Doto nearly swore he saw sparks flying off from it. "How is this possible?" he demanded.

Sousetsu had replied with so much jargon that Doto did not even begin to understand, and was more than positive his elder brother had made up more than a few of those words in his explanation. "But the point is…!" Sousetsu wrapped up as Doto's head stopped spinning. "…that this could be a whole _new _source of energy! Just imagine the possibilities!"

The spinning top finally stopped as it lay back down on the desk. Reaching out for it, Doto picked it up gently in between his fingers. "Countless," he said, still in complete awe.

Then it blew up in his face.

"… it still has some bugs to work out," an embarrassed Sousetsu admitted.

"… you don't say…" Doto replied, his face completely blank and his hair standing on end. "… new energy source won't do us much good if it blows up in our face."

_That, of course, just prompted Sousetsu to go into his whole 'Big Picture' rant. But what astounded me most was that this was not a side of my brother I had seen before. I had never pictured Sousetsu as a tinkerer and inventor, though the more I thought about it, the more it did make sense. Sousetsu always had the desire to go into forbidden places. One could even go so far as to label it the desire to reach for the unknown, to grab hold of the mysteries and begin to make sense of it. The zeal to overcome anything with 'Keep Out'… that burning drive to create and, as the saying went, to reinvent the wheel… all came around to the same route: The need for discovery._

_Of course, also typical of my brother was that he was so fixated on his new invention that he overlooked the fact that his room was a disaster zone. Though as I later learned, this was not the first time Sousetsu had done such a thing before, and some of his favorite servants would clean up the room quickly before anyone ever realized._

_I don't deny I felt a wave of relief upon hearing that. That while my brother may still may not be as concerned with the consequences of his actions as he should be, he was beginning to realize that he did need to start for accounting of them, even if his way of going about it was a bit sloppy. _

_So when the servants came – all of which acted like this was perfectly natural – I suggested we hide out in my room while they tended to that mess._

His room was far plainer than Sousetsu's normally was, but that was largely by choice. Doto merely considered his room a place to rest and work, with his _real _life being outside, working and contributing. His bed was simple, though it did have a thick quilt from their grandmother for the really cold nights. His bookshelf had some books on it, though far smaller than Sousetsu's. The selection dealt with more adventure and fantasy stories than texts on politics or economics. He had a small desk against the wall with a few papers on it, a lampstand, and a radio, which he used to listen to Stone Sentries every night. One thing that stood out was the south wall, decorated with trophies and awards he gained from his daily training regimes, which, for Doto, was easily the _best _part of having a room: Being able to bask in his accomplishments.

"You worry too much," Sousetsu said as Doto closed his door.

"No, _I _worry just the right amount! You can _never _worry too much!"

The future Daimyo just shook his head with a sly grin on his face. "Worry is the greatest threat to a man. You can spend hours saying 'what if this happens, what if that happens' over and over." He walked towards Doto's own desk, which looked brand new despite it being two years old. "And completely forgetting about the joys of life right now. We may be the future leaders of Snow, dear little brother, but we're still _men_. We're allowed to have hobbies. Such as…" a knowing smirk crossed his face as Sousetsu suddenly yanked open a drawer and pulled out a model dragon. "This!"

_Dragons. My own private fantasy and ambition. Such AWESOME creatures. Everything about them appealed to me, from the sharp teeth and claws, to those long whip-like tails, to those radiant wings that would put even eagles to shame. Most said that dragons didn't exist in this day and age, and even more said they never existed period. I can tell you… if there had been a chance to see a real one, an _actual _living specimen straight out of legend, not even the combined efforts of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara would have kept me from seeing it._

"Gimme that!" Doto screamed out, his face turning a shade red as he grabbed the model dragon out of Sousetsu's grasp. "Do you have _any _idea how long it took me to get that! That's first class metalworking, from the depths of the Earth Country! Those are actual _gold _scales on it, and REAL rubies in the eyes! The design is from one of the most famous artists of all time, and one of his last! It took me _three years _to save up for that!"

"Calm down, Otouto," Sousetsu said, holding up his hands. "I apologize, I repent. And more importantly…" He put his arms down, walked over and patted his brother on the shoulder. "…stop acting like it's some pervy magazines."

"_WHAT?"_

"It _is _something to be proud of," Sousetsu said in a far calmer voice. There was a steady gaze in his eyes and a warmth about it. The same warmth that made people believe and want to be his friend. He gently took the model dragon from his brother's hand. "You worked hard for it. You should be happy and honored. And more importantly…" He set it on the desk, just right under the light, making the entire dragon seem to 'glow' on that. "It's something that should be _shown_, not hidden away." He gestured at the dragon. "It deserves to be on display."

"Well… yeah…" Doto said, unable to help admiring it. "I just had to go… under the table a few times… and Mother and Father…"

"See, there's all that worry. I'm telling you, Doto, that's what's going to lead you to an early death if you let it keep eating at you," Sousetsu interrupted. "It's _your _hard work, _your _efforts and _your _time and money. If they can't understand that, then too bad for them!"

Walking over to his brother's book case, he browsed through with it. "Always wanted to see what you read. Never really looked into them."

"You want to borrow one?" Doto asked, gesturing to the rows of books. "Pick any one you want."

"I think I'll take…" In a flash, Sousetsu reached across to the end of the shelve, which made Doto's face fall in horror as he took off the last book. Flipping it open revealing the cover was hollow and instead of a novel inside, were a series of loose pages. "_Flight of Dragons. _Author, Kazahana Doto._" _

"_SOUSETSU!" _Doto moved faster than he ever recalled before as he leaped over and grabbed the manuscript. He moved so fast that Sousetsu was caught completely unaware, falling flat on his butt, while Doto just tried to calm himself.

"Sorry brother…" Sousetsu said, picking himself up. He was far more mellow this time around, like feeling he had crossed a line. "Didn't mean…"

"Just how many of my deep dark secrets do you…" Doto trailed off as realization kept into his face. "… Mikata's been snooping around again, hasn't she?"

His brother gave a nod as he finally picked himself up. "You know her," Sousetsu took a moment to brush the dust off his clothes before continuing. "If you don't include her, she'll invite herself so you regret it."

"I'm going to have to change the locks again," Doto muttered under his breath. He wasn't sure if Sousetsu heard that, or guessed it, but a smile appeared on his face nonetheless. "Why does she insist on bothering us?"

"She says we're the only ones her age here."

"There are plenty of servant kids around. She can bother them."

A soft chuckle came from Sousetsu. "And this is why she only invades _your _room."

The heir appeared to have recovered his resolve because he came forward. "Putting our resident troublemaker aside, I had no idea you had aspirations of being a writer, Doto!"

"I don't," Doto said looking forlorn at the manuscript in his hands. "It's just… notes… ideas, and what I envision with dragons. It's not so much as a novel as it's just… chicken scratch."

Sousetsu brushed off his younger sibling. "Stop making excuses, it's a novel and it's a damn good one."

Shock jolted up his spine. "You've _read_…?"

"Of course not! Who do you think I am?" Sousetsu said, a little hurt at the accusation. Before Doto could say anything, he added, "I'll read it when you're ready for me to read it. I'm just saying I'm _positive _it'll be great. You just need to do it! We can talk to Mom and Dad and let you have some time off from training and Mrs. Woodstock so you can write! This isn't a sin, little brother! The parents may be running the country, but they can'tdictate _every_ little thing we do! So come on, write something!"

"Alright, alright," Doto said, walking over to his desk. It seemed like a hungry monster ready to devour his hands the second he sat down. "I… suppose I could write a little more on it. Just to… vent my frustration at that _girl _rampaging through my things." He shot a look at Sousetsu. "But only if…"

"I'm going, I'm going!" Sousetsu insisted as he was already making a beeline for the door. "I'll leave you to your work. I'll even make sure Mikata doesn't bother you."

He was out the door the next moment, preventing Doto from offering a snide remark. Alone, he sat on his desk and started sorting the manuscripts down as he reached for his pen.

Sousetsu stuck his head back in. "Oh… and Mikata made me promise to pass this along: She says toss the pervy magazines. The dragons she can understand, but the magazines have got to go."

His head darted back out just in time to miss the flying hollow cover.

_If the night of the 'Grand Party' was when I was most proud of Sousetsu, I think this was the night I felt the most fond of my brother. Why I thought 'him becoming the Daimyo and me being his support can really work!'. Because despite getting under my skin and getting me angry… he also succeeded in reflaming the passion I felt when I first started writing down my novel. Because I think he just gave me what I really wanted to hear but was always afraid to pursue: Encouragement. Someone willing to come up and say "I like what you're doing and you need to do _more _of it."_

_I can remember writing up a draft of a character to model after my brother. Either the proud mentor or the buttmonkey of the piece, it was a tough call. And I must confess, seeing Sousetsu's expression at the latter was a VERY tempting notion._

_And while I wrote that night, I could remember committing myself to supporting my brother. That night had reaffirmed my beliefs threefold that our life paths were not just for the good of the country, but for ourselves as well. I would go the distance for him, pay any price because the cause was right. _

_In the beginning, that seemed to be enough._

Three years later, a twelve-year-old Doto was walking through the massive storm that constantly surrounded Yukigakure, set up by the village's founder, Hyouden Bansou, who was still alive to this day. Over sixty years of age, the man had spent his life fighting and gaining accomplishments. Accomplishments that sadly were limited to only this part of the world with Snow, the Water Country, and maybe one or two other minor villages nearby. Heck, if you went to places like Konohagakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure, most would just go 'Who?' when asked if they knew about Bansou, whose name never reached widespread recognition and fame.

It was a painful reminder why many villages and countries considered Snow a 'backwater country'; that no matter what the exploits they did manage to achieve, they would go unnoticed. What was especially frustrating was that they knew it _was _possible for minor villages to gain status across the continent; perhaps the best example was Amegakure's Hanzo, whose legends and status were spread across the lands like wildfire.

But that wasn't why Doto was at their shinobi village. He was there because Bansou wanted to start a village 'birth day'. Taking one day of the year to celebrate all the newborns of the village, seeing it as a symbol of hope and renewal. His father had been supportive of the idea and wanted a representative of the family to be there to honor this celebration. He, his mother and even Sousetsu were all tied up with previous engagements with the Lightning Country, so Doto ended up going with Mikata, Mamori, and three of the Ice Guard.

It was the first and only time Doto had ever seen the elderly founder of Hidden Snow. He wore thick gray robes that looked more befitting of a priest than a shinobi, complete with a long wool cape; a cape which held much of his shinobi equipment as opposed to weapon holsters. As with many Yuki-nin, he wore gloves and closed-toed shoes due to the climate. What was most recognizable about the man was the _long _white flowing beard that reached down all the way to his chest, giving him the impressive look of an elderly grandfather. It was often joked that the beard was the source of his strength and if it was ever cut, he would become blind, deaf and dumb.

It was the sight of him that made Doto wonder if the real reason for this Birth Day celebration was because Bansou knew his time was short and wanted to leave his village in the best condition as he could.

So Doto and his escorts had spent most of the day in Snow, partaking in the festivities and meeting several families and their newborns, including the Rouga, Kakuyoku and Fuyuguma families. The Rouga whelp was especially _loud, _constantly crying for attention.

Doto was supposed to meet with the Snow Founder, but an emergency from the Kazahana Castle came up that required his attention, so he had to leave earlier than he intended. A real shame, as he had been looking forward to meeting the man. Mikata had really been enjoying herself as well, and _she _wasn't happy at leaving early much like Doto was. _Unlike _Doto, she made her displeasure at the idea very public, once again embarrassing her mentor as he tried to shove her away and apologize to the entire crowd. The Ice Guard escorts just muttered 'put in a transfer'.

And this was how Doto ended up lost in the whirling snowstorm. Her antics had continued when they were trying to leave the village, going out of control and resulting in Doto getting separated from the rest. Being lost in this storm without the specialized compass to guide him was a living hell.

Which, of course, was the general idea to keep intruders out.

Cursing that girl once more, Doto waved his hand in front of his eyes in a vain effort to clear the raging snow so he could see. Hope sprang within when he saw a vague humanoid shape in front of him. _FINALLY! _He thought as he pressed forward. "About time! I thought you ninja were supposed to be – "

He stopped in midsentence when he was able to look at the figure he was approaching. The realization of who he was seeing chilled him to the bone _far _more than this snowstorm was doing. A small, hunched woman with a wrinkled face, and missing teeth.

The witch! The Enigma of Snow herself! Youba Akufu!

"All hail, Doto! Hail to thee, head of the Daimyo Guard!"

"_YOU!" _Doto shouted, moving back the way he came. "You're supposed to be _DEAD! _Why are you here? To crush my bones for your beard? To use the jelly of my eyes for your toast? _FOR – _" he stopped, bumping into a _second _Akufu. Doto jumped into the air, shrieking loudly.

"All hail, Doto! Hail to thee, Commander-in-Chief!"

"_WHEN'D YOU GET THERE!" _Doto shouted, backpedaling through the snow. "STAY AWAY FROM ME! TURN SOMEONE ELSE INTO A TOAD! I'M NOT – " Once again, he bumped into someone. Now on the verge of panic, he was unable to muster a scream as every strand of his hair stood on end at the sight of a _THIRD _Akufu!

"All hail, Doto! Thou shalt be Daimyo hereafter!"

That last one struck home on Doto to his core, finding himself unable to do anything. It was like one of those sirens of legend; he was completely mesmerized, completely enthralled to what he was hearing as the three Akufus circled around him, all shouting 'All hail!'

That's when the Ice Guard finally came running over. The Akufus backtracked further into the storm, their words lingering in Doto's mind as they disappeared and the shinobi demanded if he was okay.

_Maybe I should have put a stop to it right there! I should had told Mamori what had happened, had him mobilize Snow to track down that witch and be done with it. How easy would it be to blame _everything _on that witch from that day! Over a dozen different ways went through my mind on how she could have affected me and made me her own personal plaything to overthrow my brother! Subtle genjutsu to make me power hungry, putting me under a spell to turn my back on what I believed. Or replaced my soul with a fraction of her own! A dozen different ways to say that it was her fault, that everything I have done is the result of _her_ ambitions. Even then this occurred to me, and I should have hunted her down and forgotten that whole thing but I _DIDN'T!

_And why didn't I? The answer differs from when you ask me that question._

_At the time it wasn't because I was traumatized, fearing her wrath. It was because deep down… I was intrigued. I didn't want to admit it, not even to myself… but that's the truth nonetheless._

_And now? _

_Now… I simply do not need to make such excuses. I am who I am._

Three years later was when it happened. Hyoudon Bansou, the Eternal Maelstrom, the founder of Yukigakure… passed away. At age sixty-eight, after leading the Hidden Snow Village for thirty-three years, the man finally passed on to the next life. A quiet death, merely dying in his sleep. But to Snow, it was a mark of his power. He wasn't killed in battle, his enemies didn't slay him. He lived a full life and met death on his terms. The Snow Village could think of no greater honor for their leader.

Doto's father couldn't have agreed more. He felt that the Government should help assist Snow in these times of change. It was Sousetsu, now 17, that offered to oversee the transaction. Their father readily agreed, and their entire family, along with nearly half of the staff on hand from ministers to maids, arrived at Yukigakure to see the new leader of Snow appointed. Already rumors were going about the village about the new 'Kagirinai Kachuu'. Doto snickered at the fact that until this point, Snow didn't actually _have _a title for their leader. They couldn't use the Kage name for obvious reasons, but no one had ever thought they would need one with Bansou leading them.

Another aspect of his prowess.

"While the pain of loss," Sousetsu said aloud to the gathered masses of ninja and citizens in the village square, "is great to us all, it is also a mark of progress! Let us mourn and honor Bansou-sama's memory… but let us also welcome his successor! Ladies and Gentlemen of Snow, Shinobi and Civilian alike, I give you your new Kagirinai Kachuu: Yacho!"

From the other side, a large, well-built man came over. The most notable trait about him was that he wore armor that looked straight out of the Warring Clans era. To Yacho, it made no sense to go into missions with only flimsy cloth for protection, and _armor _was far more appropriate. He was Snow's Weapon Master, having mastered every weapon he could get a hold of from katanas to bows and arrows to pikes and beyond. In fact, it was said that his armor was covered with seals so he could summon a weapon at any time from anywhere.

That, however, was _not _a testament to his skills. In fact, he was horrible at fuuinjutsu, as well as genjutsu, and only average in ninjutsu at best. He actually had friends and associates design and implant these seals into this armor. While he may not have been able to actually help, it was crucial in getting everyone to work together and motivating them to proceed. It was said that this is what made people chose him to be their legendary leader's successor.

The man was in his full armor, with a large angry boar head on each of his shoulders that served as his personal insignia. He wore black wool clothes as opposed to the usual gray. Each stepped seemed to leave hollowed impressions wherever he walked, said to be as a result of all that weight his armor had with its weapons storage. His face was cheerful, like a man who saw life as a game.

Sousetsu stepped to the side to allow Yacho to take center stage as he addressed. His speech started off strong, though he began fumbling a short ways into it. Sousetsu swiftly inserted himself back by Yacho's side so smoothly it had to have been planned.

Which it was, Doto knew. And in no time, the two were speaking like they had known each other for years, finishing each other's sentences, complimenting each other, even exchanging jokes. They ate the crowd up. That was his brother, having seen a potential flaw ahead of time and making sure he was ready to deal with it.

"And now," Sousetsu spoke up again the crowd promptly quieting down for the young man to speak again. "I would like to announce that in light of this change, the government will also be changing up the status quo. Times are changing with Yukigakure and we must make sure that our leaders are up to date with those changes. As such, we will be making several revisions. The first of which involves my beloved younger brother, who from this day forth will be made the new Head of the Daimyo Guard!"

This part had definitely _not _been planned ahead. At least, no one bothered to tell Doto himself, who was visibly shocked by this proclamation. It took Mikata's prompting of her new 'Boss' to get him to start moving to the large stage to join his brother and the new leader of the Snow Village. Whispers were already going around about a teenager being given such an important post, and more importantly, if he was really capable of such a job. Immediately, Sousetsu patted his brother on the back and launched into a speech on Doto's accomplishments, stating that there wasn't a single doubt in his mind that his brother was more than ready for his duty to the government.

Doto, however, heard none of this. For he was lost in his own thoughts.

_One can argue that Sousetsu was not forgetting the other half of the equation. That it was a time of change for those in charge and that's where the focus was needed. I would actually agree, it was not Sousetsu's speeches and intentions that froze my mind._

_It was the people's reactions._

_This was _supposed_ to be Snow's moment. This was supposed to be about appointing a new leader for the Snow Village. Yet it was not Yacho that the people were focusing on. It was my brother. He had turned the crowd entirely onto him, overshadowing the man who was supposed to be honored. And then he goes and talks about changes in the _GOVERNMENT?_ And everyone ate it up. Why was the crowd entertaining speeches on changes in the government when they should be wondering where Snow will go with its new leader? Because of my brother, the golden idol and shining light of the country. Having us change to accommodate the new leadership in the Snow Village, that was all well and good… but there were times and places for announcing changes in the Government, and this was NOT one of them! Why did no one else see that? But the people all ate it up, coming to the point where I was POSITIVE they forgot who Yacho was._

_I nearly refused the post my brother gave to me. Not because it was too sudden, not because it I couldn't do the job, and NOT because I had better things to do… but because for the first time in three years, I remembered that witch._

"_All hail, Doto! Hail to thee, head of the Daimyo Guard!"_

_The first part of her prophecy had come true._

_But as with my previous doubts, I rationalized them away. This was the position I was being groomed to do all my life. Sure, it was sooner than I expected, but that didn't mean the Witch had predicted this. It was common knowledge. A four-year-old ramen addict could have made such a prediction._

_The only difference this time with my rationalizations… was that I wasn't able to fully convince myself. The doubt remained._

The Head of the Daimyo Guard. The top person in charge of protecting not just the Daimyo's family, but the castle as a whole. The Ice Guard was naturally a portion of this, a squad of Yukigakure's shinobi to protect the Daimyo's immediate family. The rest of it included the samurai personnel, far more numerous and organized than the dozen or so Yuki-nin.

Doto was tempted to set up several 'restrictions' for his parents on where they could and could not go as they could have during his childhood. Doto ended up resisting the temptation, knowing the difference from when his parents had done so to just a personal pleasure.

So instead, to celebrate, the brothers went and pranked Mikata, calling for an unannounced 'Surprise Drill' right outside her door. It ended up working too well as she ran out of her room in nothing but a towel, having been in the middle of a bath and running all the way to the courtyard to see what the problem was. Upon realizing what they had done, Mikata pummeled both of them in record time, stripped them down to their undies and strung them up by their ankles outside in revenge.

No one else had been amused by this little Prank War, so their father declared himself the Winner and locked all three of them in the dungeon for a week.

All three of them felt the price was worth it. Now they were ready to say goodbye to their childhoods and step fully into the world of adulthood.

The years rolled by as they cemented themselves into their roles. Sousetsu spent more and more time in his room, studying and working on his own volition instead of exploring or scheming. Doto was sure he still tinkered in his spare time; you couldn't completely remove _fun _from your life, after all, though Doto was positive it was nowhere near as extensive as it used to be. As for him, his model dragon still stood on his desk, and his manuscript had reached into the hundreds of pages and really started to come together as a story.

Mikata herself had stopped harassing them as much as she usually did, stepping up in her duties and becoming Mamori's right hand, meeting his expectations as he always knew she would. It just took longer than the Jonin wanted.

Over the next few years, things were like that, with the three of them taking on more and more roles and responsibilities and the staff becoming more accustomed to these young leaders running things. Yokan actually said more than once he would step down early and enjoy a nice retirement at this rate, feeling Snow's future was secure.

Three years later was when it happened. Doto and Sousetsu had been talking in his room, much like the old days, talking about the costs of the military and Yukigakure as a whole when Mikata rushed inside, startling them both.

"It's your father!" she had cried.

Kazahana Yokan, beloved Daimyo, husband, parent, often regarded as the Father of the Country… had suddenly been struck with a deadly illness. Doctors from the Castle and nearby towns, even top medics from Yukigakure had all rushed to the Kazahana Castle in record time. Quarantine steps had been taken to make sure it didn't spread. In a flash, the Castle had transformed from a vibrating sensation of life and activity to a place as cheerful as a graveyard. Everyone was concerned for the man's well being, with all work and productivity coming to a halt. All awaiting news.

The news came two days later… the man had passed away, losing the fight and succumbing. A state funeral had quickly been arranged with many from all over Snow and even a few other countries, the most notable being the Rock Daimyo coming in person.

The two brothers were standing inside, looking down from a window as the funeral was being prepared in the main courtyard. Sousetsu was uncharacteristically quiet during this time, just glancing downward with a forlorn look in his eyes, almost as if he was trying to memorize the entire area. Doto had been by his side, feeling that it was the best place for him to be. Their mother was handling all the preparation work and seeing to the visitors.

"Hey, Nii-san, it's going to be starting soon," Doto said finally. It seemed like they had been staring out the window for hours. He started heading towards the door. "Come on, we need to be going."

"Only a few hours," Sousetsu spoke up.

The young brother came to a stop. "What?"

"I'm no longer going to be _Future _Daimyo." He was referring to the fact that once the funeral was over, he was going to be appointed the new Daimyo. It had actually been their mother's idea as she felt that by showing the new appointment swiftly, they would show the visiting nobles, as well as their own country, that not only was everything under control, but their new Daimyo was more than ready for the task.

She also privately admitted to her two boys that she was a botanist, not a politician. She couldn't stand in for Sousetsu; all she could do was support him as she supported Yokan.

"And you'll be a very good Daimyo," Doto confirmed. He couldn't recall the last time he saw his brother so… weary. It was like he suddenly became an old man, with all the weight of the world on him. "Now we _really _need to be…"

"Have you ever thought of spring?"

The question caught Doto off guard. "No. Not really."

He didn't get the chance to elaborate on his answer because Sousetsu gave a small smile that cut off his younger sibling. "I know that technically speaking, we get spring. The Snow Country goes through the months and changing of the seasons, but all we ever _experience _is the white passing of snow."

"That's the life we live," Doto spoke up, finally rejoining his brother at the window. "Snow has its beauty. There's a certain sincerity to snow. It's vast, endless, _constant. _A firm foundation upon what we built and _the _symbol for what our country stands for."

"One beauty," his elder brother repeated. "Yes. Snow certainly is beautiful. For a time. But we miss the joys of the other colors. Of flowers blooming, richstreams flowing. The sense of _life _returning to the land."

Finally, he turned towards Doto. "If I am to be Daimyo, I want to _do _something about that, Brother. I want to bring _spring _to this country. Even if all it is is just a simple declaration at the beginning of March. And not just spring, but summer and fall too. I'm going to expand on what Mother started and bring a new sense of _LIFE _to this country! So everyone will see Snow as a blooming flower instead of this desolate, backwater country we're always associated as!"

A smile appeared on the young man's face. "And I want you to help me, Doto… as Snow's Commander-in-Chief!"

His blood suddenly seemed ice cold. "What?"

"You've trained for these things, you've studied them." Sousetsu said. "And it'll give you even footing with me. If I'm to do this, I want you at my side. The TWO leaders of Snow bringing about this great change! For the good of the country!"

_Commander-in-Chief._

_The ultimate military power in a country. Even the Shinobi Leaders had to answer to this personage. It was traditionally held by the Daimyo, reinforcing the fact he was the ultimate authority and that a village leader, even a Kage, was, at best, a partner. In times of war, that could bring the power of Daimyo to near absolute. There had been stories of coups or where a Village Leader had assumed that position during the Second Shinobi War, but never had anyone deliberately bestowed it on someone else like this._

_With those three little words, all the warmth had been sucked out of the room. I often wondered if my brother noticed. A hint of his one great flaw was present as he went about his grand vision of the future, that I wondered if he was actually aware of my… discomfort. It felt like I could barely breathe! Like an icy hand had reached into my body and snatched all the warmth away! The Head of the Daimyo Guard, that was one thing… but this…!_

"_All hail, Doto! Hail to thee, Commander-in-Chief!"_

_I didn't answer my brother then. I left the room, fleeing back to my private sanctuary. What my brother thought of my reaction, I will never know. Maybe he felt it was too big of a surprise, maybe he felt he was asking too much. Maybe he just knew me better than I knew myself. I locked myself in my own room, completely missing the funeral. So warped was my mind that I needed time and space to just _THINK_!_

_Flying through my head like vultures, numerous thoughts crossed my mind. What was I to do? The second part of that Witch's prophecy was coming true, should I go through with this, or should I turn down my brother's offer to try and avoid destiny? Did my previous doubts, which seemed so small at the time, actually have some validity? Was the Balance being further destroyed or was it possible it was wrong?_

_It was that last thought that snapped me out of my mid-life crisis. The possibility that the balance between head of state and the population was _wrong. _It was that thought that allowed me to actually explore my doubts instead of rationalizing them away… and I thought 'what if _Father, Mother, even Sousetsu _knew this?_' _It was an aspect I hadn't considered before. That all the talk on the Daimyo being important to the country was deliberate. That they recognized it as an admirable, but ultimately flawed concept._

_After all, look at the Human Body analogy they often used. But the thing is, if you lose an arm, or a leg, or even both, you can still function. Sure, not as efficiently as you were, but you still possessed a degree of mobility and capacity. It was said Sand had a means to _replace _lost limbs with that puppetry ninjutsu they used. So the idea of restoring the body even after grievous injury wasn't ludicrous, but if you lose your head… then it's all over. The arms and legs can't move without the head! Heck, it was a fundamental concept for Shinobi! Hunter-nin were instructed to keep the head from a corpse and destroy the rest! Maybe they _DID _know what they were talking about!_

_The more I thought about this, the more it made sense! It was like I had closed a door and locked it behind me! Sousetsu _knew _the old way of thinking was flawed and that CHANGE was needed! Why else would he want power spread between the two of us! Why else would he want to bring the ideas of spring to change Snow?_

_Overjoyed, I had broken the mental dogma and began thinking for myself, I left my room right there. Arriving just as the ceremony for my brother was beginning. I walked up to him and stood by his side. I said nothing; I didn't NEED to say anything. I just looked at him and gave a firm nod. He broke out in a small smile. That was all we needed._

_Ten minutes later, the new Daimyo was born and the new Commander-in-Chief was ready, greeted with a mixture of applause and confusion. And I can remember thinking 'Yes. That's how it should be. That's_ exactly_ how the population should react. And it feels good.'_

So Snow got its new Daimyo. At the age of 20. Building up on the Kazahana reign during snow. With his father's old advisors and staff, they advised and guided the young man. Sousetsu didn't do anything to stand out; he didn't make any new decrees, he didn't enact any sort of celebration. He merely took the job and continued to build off his father's foundation. It was almost like there had been no change in Daimyo, things were going so smoothly.

The same could be said for Doto. During that first year, he poured himself into the Country's military. The Hidden Village, the samurai guard, what was needed to finance these operations, the works. Doto did this because he wanted to know his new responsibilities inside and out. Every detail was deemed essential and Doto put his entire being into making sure he knew _exactly _what he was to do with these assets.

After a year of hard grind work, Doto realized that the Festival of Lights was happening. Once every six years, right at dawn, the coming sun would shine down on the Rainbow Glacier and light up all seven glaciers at once, making a wide spectrum of colors dance on those seven glaciers. For a full hour, people could watch this wide array of brilliant colors dance across those glaciers. It was one of Snow's most popular attractions and something that _was _more widely known to other countries, something Doto always found cruelly ironic: The Snow Village could produce a legend worthy of those among the Five Great Villages and never be known, but an attraction that happened once every six years _was _known.

Deciding that he warranted a break from his new duties, he wanted to attend the Festival and invited his brother along. Sousetsu had been shocked, completely forgetting about the Festival. He had accepted in an instance, then almost immediately retracted, saying he was involved in something important that night. Taking that to mean some important meeting, Doto just patted his brother on the back, suggesting that the next opportunity they would take a day off to do something together.

So taking Mikata along (Doto didn't even register the fact it was just the two of them until they arrived), he attended the Festival. Mikata herself had proven to be one of his most valuable aides during this time, with her more often working like an assistant to him rather than on her duties in the Ice Guard. That didn't mean she didn't continue her own training to hone her skills, as she was quickly becoming one of the Snow Village's top shinobi.

Arriving with ten minutes to spare, they saw a large crowd had gathered, with people from all over Snow and other countries. When the sun broke across the horizon, everyone was swept into the array of dancing lights, completely enthralled.

Once it was over, it happened. A single moment that led to a defining moment in Doto's life. One he never saw coming and yet by all accounts, he probably should have. Just as Doto and Mikata were about to leave, they passed by some foreigners. Four of them. One was an adult that looked in his late twenties, with the other three being young teenagers. The man had white spiky hair that descended down his back, red lines below his eyes and a distinctive wart on his nose. Of the three youngsters, only one really seemed to catch Doto's attention. The boy carried himself with the poise of someone three times his age. His sun-kissed hair made him stand out, like a diamond in the rough that completely outshined his two companions.

They were arguing with someone, an elderly man with a broken cane. Seems that one of them had bumped into him, making him lose his balance and snapping his cane in two. He was arguing with the white-haired man, who was repeatedly trying to apologize. It had even drawn the Glacier's management into it trying to settle the peace. All this, Doto caught.

While Mikata had caught something else. At the feet of these foreigners was a small metal headband with the engraving of the Leaf.

"Leaf-nin." Mikata said under her breath, immediately throwing up her guard. Doto understood the concern, but felt it was unnecessary. Foreigners came all the time to see the Rainbow Glacier and it wasn't surprising that shinobi themselves would want to.

"You can relax," Doto encouraged, looking into her eyes. "I don't think we have to worry here." Walking over to the quarrelers, the manager was desperately trying to calm the old man down and failing miserably.

"I believe you dropped something," Doto announced, making all eyes turn on him. Residents of Snow immediately recognized him and his escort. The white haired man glanced downward and gave a nervous gulp. Before he could comment further, the young blond boy just casually stepped over the headband and seemed to make it disappear right before Doto's eyes. Caught completely off guard by this action, Doto just found himself staring at the spot before Mikata shook him out of it.

"Oh, right," Doto said. Holding up his hands to get everyone's attention, he spoke. "It was a simple accident, nothing more." The old man was about to protest further but he continued. "I think some goodwill is in order." He looked at the manager. "Perhaps we could offer some souvenirs."

"We would… but… we had no vendors."

"What?" Doto asked. Vendors, small business, lots of people came by at this time. "There is a specific fund set aside for – "

"We were told that there were financial troubles and we weren't able to have any this time," the manager replied slowly.

Financial troubles? Since when? Everything was perfect last time he checked! His mind was swarming from this information. Even breathing seemed difficult right now. "Mikata, please help this gentleman out and offer our sympathies." The old man protested immediately as she gently took his arm and led him away. "The rest of you are dismissed," he said to the management and small crowd. They all began departing. He was about to go and clear his head when the white-haired man came forward.

"Here," he said, handing him a small bag of money. "I was trying to give this to your gentleman, but he was more interested in yelling than anything else."

"Thank you," Doto said, snapping out of his stupor as he took it. "I trust you are enjoying the sights?"

"Ah," the Leaf Ninja replied with a slow nod. "Thought you saw that. Nothing nefarious, I assure you. We just completed our first A-class mission and I thought this would be an excellent way to celebrate our team's success…"

"Relax." Something about this made Doto feel better. A small reminder that everything _wasn't _collapsing around his ears. "You aren't causing any trouble and you are hardly the only visitors to our little Festival."

The man gave a laugh. "Well said. I'm glad we were able to work things out like sensible men."

"Sensei," the blond said. "Snow's Commander-in-Chief clearly has some troubles he needs to sort out. We'd best not delay him further."

Doto was more than a little surprised by the boy's declaration. And even more when the man deferred to him. This boy… _young man… _acted more like a well-seasoned adult rather than a fresh genin. Not to mention very well informed and observant.

The blond kid stepped forward, a smile on his face. "He is concerned with the well being of his country. As he should be. We apologize for any disruption we caused. Snow is a beautiful country. Many may not see, but I promise you, there _are_ those who can see its value and appreciate it. It's nice to see that those on top understand what's needed and value what's truly important."

_Child prodigies. I had heard of them. Snow even had a few in its history. But speaking with this young man… it seemed less than a skilled child and more like an adult in a child's body. Someone who had lived and experienced the world. Even the way his team acted, the sensei and his teammates, held him in such high regard it seemed _he _was the leader. And even with those few sentences I spoke with him, I could see why. There was just this… aura about him. A sense of destiny about him that you couldn't shake off. I remember asking the young man his name._

_It was a name I vowed never to forget._

_They left after that. I tended to the old man and took off back to the Castle, determined to find out what this lack of funds nonsense was about. I was convinced it was just a simple accounting error. Just an oversight._

_The truth was far harsher._

_I walked up to the Minister of Finance. He was new to the job, only having started five months prior. Upon returning, I confronted the man. Being firm, but making it clear I wanted answers. He looked me straight in the eye and said:_

"_We're bankrupt."_

_I lost my voice upon his response. I had to hit my head against the stone wall in order to collect myself. Words failed me. Bankrupt? How? Why did this happen? More importantly... _WHEN _did this happen? Why had I not heard of such a thing BEFORE it came to this point?_

_Leaving the young man, I went to confront my brother directly over this._

Doto found Sousetsu had retired to his room. Ignoring all courtesy, he slammed the door open. The wooden door splintered from the impact and the doorknob itself fell off from its forced collision with the stone wall. The Daimyo was at his desk, writing something. Without even looking as Doto stomped over, the elder brother spoke. "Now Doto, the door didn't do anything to you…"

"This is no time for jokes!" Doto said, slamming his hand on the desk, sending papers scattering into the air. "How on EARTH are we _BANKRUPT?!"_

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Sousetsu said lightheartedly, finally turning around to see his brother. "Mom's cashing in some old favors, so by the end of the week…"

"_**NEVER MIND THAT!**__" _Doto shouted.

Upon hearing his brother yell with such intensity, Sousetsu seemed to shrink in his chair, shutting up. Wondering if he _had _crossed the line, or missed some important detail, Doto continued in a softer voice. "Brother… this is not a case of a missing document or a person missing. How did we lose all that money? What happened? Why didn't I know before?"

"You're right. You're completely right," Sousetsu offered. He seemed to age right there. "Do you remember my ambition I told you the day I became Daimyo?"

Doto gave a nod.

"I've recently been involved a long string of investments. Pulling resources and finances from every angle I could in order to make that dream a reality."

"… worthy of costing us the entire royal treasury?" Doto inquired. "I just got back from the Festival of Lights and they said – "

"They had no vendors this time…" Sousetsu put on a pained expression as he finished his brother's statement. "I completely forgot about that. I'm so sorry." He took a deep breath and walked over to the window. The moment he left his desk, Doto thought he smelt something… familiar. He couldn't put his finger on it and Sousetsu opened the window, that smell disappeared entirely and Doto wondered if he imagined it.

"I guess much hasn't changed since we were kids, has it, otouto?" Sousetsu said, looking out the window. "Always so focused on the goal, I missed the obvious repercussions."

"And what is the goal?" Doto demanded. "Just what are you doing that's so damn expensive?"

Sousetsu glanced back and gave a small smile, though Doto thought it seemed more befitting a frown, if that made any sense.

"The work I am doing will bring wealth to this country!"

Doto was completely taken back by this. What did worth had to do with this? Plus, Sousetsu's demeanor changed so quickly it felt… forced. Almost like his brother was trying to distract him from something. "I realize I made some grave oversights, brother, but rest assured, they are for a reason! When this plan comes through, Snow will have everything it needs and more! Wealth, renewed life… spring!"

Against his instincts, Doto just gave a nod. "Alright. Whatever you say." He began heading out towards the door when just a lingering fragrance of that smell caught him when he passed by the desk. This time, he was able to place it. Looking back, he said. "Sousetsu-nii-san… is there something _else _you want to tell me?"

"… no. There's nothing of consequence, so you can just run along and…"

Doto made his gamble. Reaching out, he grabbed the nearest drawer and opened it. Inside of it was several small cans of a black paint-like substance. That same paint he remembered with his brother's tinkering and that top all those years ago.

"Just my hobby, brother. You have your book, I have my little trinkets," Sousetsu said, speed-walking over and slamming the drawer shut.

"… Sousetsu." Doto looked his brother completely on, all friendly pretenses long gone. "… don't tell me… that your… paint job… is the investment you're talking about."

"Good_bye,_ brother."

Even after all these years, Sousetsu was still the smaller of the two, and physically weaker. But this new revelation had left Doto too stunned to stop his brother from forcing him out of the room. Upon the slamming of the door, the sound drew the attention of the guards and servants, making them running to see what had happened.

Without giving an answer, Doto just left.

_Betrayal. That was the only thing that came to my mind that fit the situation. Sousetsu had tried to deceive me. Deliberately. Hiding the financial situation, trying to distract me from discovering the truth. He had truly become a politician: learning to say one thing, leading you to believe you understood, but in reality meant something else completely._

_I couldn't understand why. Until that time, I had felt that we were still close. Working together, brothers in arms, for the future. Why would he suddenly distance himself now? Why resort to half-truths and lies? When had this rift occurred? _

_I can remember thinking back on the situation, wondering just how much of what my brother had said that night was true. Had he really forgotten about the Festival like he claimed… or had he just lied, hoping everyone would buy his sweet words? Just what was so important about these investments and his so-called 'hobbies' that warranted the loss of the treasury?_

_I had no answers to these questions, possibly because I had to face the reality: I no longer knew my brother. I had no idea what his intentions were, what he was planning, much less the rationale behind it. _

_All I had was the one truth: The Government had to remain strong. So I took matters into my own hands. I spent two entire weeks reworking the military, initiating cut backs, cutting salaries and expenses. Any corners I could cut. To get something back into the treasury. _

_I avoided my brother during this time period. Months on end. Making excuses to avoid seeing him in public, always saying I had some other engagement. I wanted to get my mind off of this betrayal of my brother. I tried focusing on writing my novel. I toyed with design plans of building a life-sized scale model of a dragon. I began moving a lot… closer… to Mikata. Something she accepted without question. The one thing I should… _needed… _to do was what most people would have thought of: Talk to the one other person who really knew Sousetsu and could give me some peace._

_Mother._

_I was hesitant to talk to mother about my fears because I felt if I did, then I would get confirmation of them, having undeniable proof that something was very wrong. So I stalled, came up with excuses, deliberately arranged meetings when she had free time. It was a cowardly thing to do, but also somewhat hilarious. I was running the military of an entire country, encountered a Witch straight out of legend, even see rising legends from a shinobi village… and THIS is what stopped me cold in my tracks: Talking to my mother._

_I'm sure there is some sort of adequate joke here along the lines of 'mama's boy', but I never did figure it out._

_And Mikata was less amused, kicking me right on the rear end and making me go. A punchline if I ever heard one. Or… kick._

_I made two attempts to talk to mother about this. The first was right after Mikata gave me my little… jump start. Mother had lost a little weight since father's passing, the grief still fresh. Seeing my distress made her warm up immediately, wanting to help with the problem. And I chickened out, unwilling to drive in the nail that the family might be worse off. I lied through my teeth that I needed help with my reorganizing, that I had overlooked several elements that I could use her help on. This seemed to re-energize the woman, life flooding back into her as if she suddenly was ten years younger. We talked all the night on the 'problem' without ever talking about the problem._

_When Mikata learned of my actions, she proceeded to kick my ass, just like in the old days and threaten to drag me by the ear to mother and make me spill my guts. Literally if she had to, pulling out a kunai to drive the point in. While I knew she would never do anything that extreme… I also remembered my view of her back in the good old days. That of a rose and thorns… and wasn't willing to take the chance._

_So over a week later, I attempted to talk to my mother again. But on that morning, the Castle was hit with a second tragedy._

_Mother had fallen out of the window. Over four stories. She had died on impact._

_Everyone was shocked and distraught over this news. But unlike with father… this was far more puzzling. The railings and supports were firm, there was no signs of a struggle on her body. Anything to support Mother's death as a accident or even homicide fall flat, leaving only one option that shook us even more._

_Suicide._

_But even this wasn't accepted. Certainly not by me. If this had happened earlier, _maybe _I could believe that Father's death made Mother's grief so strong, she had such extremes. But I had just spoken to her a week earlier, and saw with my own eyes the life flooding back into her. I could not, _would _not_,_ believe that the same woman who just regained her purpose would throw everything away. So in the end, the case was deemed a tragic accident because no one else knew what to call it._

_My old trainer, the Sergeant, led the investigation. And much like my encounter with that witch, my insidious mind was working with the angles, seeing various possibilities that could explain this. But unlike with the witch, where I was trying to pin all the blame on her… this was the opposite: It lead to the idea that the blame might have belonged to someone else._

_It all came from the timing. I tried to approach my mother to talk about Sousetsu. About my fears and concerns about him. I couldn't help but think 'the time I went to approach my mother over this is the time that she had a mysterious 'accident'. At first it seemed too farfetched a theory… until I thought about what my mother would have thought if she had learned of Sousetsu's little secret…_

… _or more importantly… what would _SOUSETSU _do if he found out I was going to mother…_

_I couldn't help but think of the possibilities. Maybe it was because I was already thinking ill of my brother. Maybe it was because I was just looking for an excuse for the rest of the Capital to see him as I was seeing him. Maybe it was even due to that Witch's prophecy… with the third part still to come._

_The obvious flaw in this line of thinking was that if this nagging suspicion was right, why target Mother and not myself? I was the one that knew, not Mother. It couldn't have been that much harder to arrange an accident for me in the same manner. Or the other side of the coin: What if mother herself had discovered Sousetsu's actions and been so ashamed, she… had her accident._

_I kept going in circles from all this, from conspiracy to just random chance. Half the time I couldn't agree on the variables I should be using to discover the truth. So in the end, I dropped it. Decided to proceed forward with a straight head. I made my decision; I would confront my brother… no… I was determined to _watch _my brother. Make sure he wasn't putting his own interests ahead of everything else. I promised myself that the issue I wanted to bring up to my mother would not die on the wayside. That I would discover the truth about Sousetsu's intentions, no matter what they may be. A direct confrontation, for many reasons, had to be avoided. I would use my status and resources to discover the truth, get the hard facts and then shove them right in Sousetsu's face if_ _my fears really were right. And if they weren't… then I could stop my efforts quietly without revealing my intentions._

_As if Fate itself decided to slap me upside the head, it threw a completely different curveball in my direction. Something that would redirect my energies into solving a much grander problem, making everything else, including my brother, second priority._

_Two months and thirteen days after my mother's passing. In my twentieth year of life, after five years of being the Head of the Daimyo Guard and two years as Snow's Commander-in-Chief, it happened._

_The Third Shinobi War._

* * *

**(Author's Note) **And so the first part of this comes to a close. I recall saying that I intended to make this entire flashback sequence one chapter. And I was on edge on keeping that promise. Even with the job obligation.

But I looked back on my work on Chapter 17 where I did that exact same thing. And while gauging the reactions on it, as well as the reality that I didn't have the time to dedicate to it as I once did, I decided to break it up. It's my intention to have three parts to it and then continue on with Doto. So here's hoping that works out.

Part of the reason it's so long is that there was just so much opportunity and fun with this sort of flashback. I could go and encompass so much of the world of Snow that I've built up over this story: Hidden Snow's leaders, their own legacy, events at the world at large, interactions that Doto would have had not just with his brother, but family members, coworkers, associates. It was a grand opportunity and I fully intended to seize it. Still do.

And as you can see, also avoided the traditional flashback method. I rather like this one a bit better, getting Doto's little monologues and thoughts on events as they happen. Do let me know how you liked, or disliked, this approach.

_Yokan – lingering winter_

_Makiba – meadow_

_Ototo – younger brother_

_Dobei – Earthen wall_

_Mamori – defense_

___I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta reading this!_


	32. History of Snow, Part 2

Clash in the Snow Country: Legacy Version

_Chapter 31: History of Snow._

**(Author's Note) **And now we begin Part 2 of our trip down memory lane. Do hope you enjoy and that it was worth the wait since I think this is my favorite portion of Doto's flashback here.

Enjoy!

* * *

The castle was in an uproar. War had broken out between the Wind Country and the Wood Country with the assassination of a Wood Country official. What was incredibly shocking was how much the war had spiraled out of control. What should have been a swift and decisive conflict between a Main Country and a Minor one had called in all sorts of angles. The Rain and Grass Countries had a working alliance with the Wood Country and answered the call. That, in turn, led to the Earth Country supporting Wind given they'd had some friendly relations in recent years.

Which then resulted in Iwagakure calling in other favors such as the Snow Country to support the endeavor. Sousetsu had called in his entire cabinet to discuss the matter. A member of Yukigakure's intelligence network, a grizzly old man who worked as a roaming blacksmith, was giving everyone a report on the situation.

"Officially," the old man stated. "The Sand Village is claiming that its _only _intention for being in the Wood Country was to find a lead on their Third Kazekage, who they claim to be missing."

"Sure he is," a minister spoke up sarcastically.

"And that the assassination was due to the official being scheduled to have a meeting with the man. Wood claims the Third Kazekage and his entourage never showed up, while Sand claims their Kazekage _did _arrive in Wood and subsequently vanished."

"What do you believe _really_ happened?" the Financial Minister demanded.

The old man barely looked towards the speaker before rolling up his document and putting it away. "I don't know if their Kazekage really is missing or if it's just some hoax for some ploy. I _do _believe it's merely a means to an end, the Sand Village taking advantage of the situation to try and annex resources from the Wood Country. I've heard they've had a particularly _harsh _year, with little rain and unyielding heat waves. I imagine between that desperation and the opportunity presented, it was just too good to pass up. They just didn't expect their assassin to be discovered."

"And so tried to justify it with this story about their Kage missing," someone else spoke up.

"Yes sir."

"Let Sand burn," another voice said. "It's their _own _damn fault for getting caught up in this situation."

The Secretary of State gave a nod. "If they just give up the assassin, this would all be settled."

"They are a Major Village," Mamori spoke up. He was standing on Sousetsu's right, while Mikata herself was at Doto's side. Yacho sat amongst the other Snow officials. Even after all these years, Mamori was still Head of the Ice Guard. There had been talk of letting Mikata take up the role, but this news had turned everything on its head. "Frankly speaking, I would expect Sand to be capable of defeating the Wood Village, the Rain Village, _and _the Grass Village by itself."

There was a collection of murmurs and grunts, the unspoken message passing between them being how minor villages often got the short end of the stick in the shinobi world. "Then why should we care?" the Financial Minister asked.

"Because _Rock _has decided to support Sand," Sousetsu announced, drawing all eyes to him. "And Rock has called on _us _to support their endeavor."

"Ingrates," someone hissed under their breath. "This _isn't _our fight." Eyes looked on to see it was the treasurer speaking. "It's not _Rock's _fight either."

This time, Yacho himself spoke up. "But they're _making _it their fight. Already, Rock forces are spearheading the war effort between them and Sand."

The time as the new leader of Snow had changed the man considerably. He was solid in his stance, knew where and when to speak, and when to let others do so, only a few of several signs of a coming leader. Seeing all attention was on him, he continued. "Two of the Major Villages are involved in this war. How much longer before the others take action?"

Silence.

"Rumors have been going on for years that Kumogakure has been involved in a series of kidnappings throughout the Ninja Villages. Taking bloodline clans and other uniquely talented children. They could easily take the opportunity to take the next step for more… _bold… _acquisitions. Moreover, we've never been able to smooth out relations with the Water Country, and _they _are right on our doorstep. Nearly identical to Sand's situation with Wood."

"You can't be serious! You think Mist will come after us!?" the treasurer shouted, actually rising out of his seat.

The Kagirinai Kachuu didn't so much as flinch. "Reports say the current Mizukage is particularly bloodthirsty. Even many of Mist's old clans haven't been immune. So yes, I think it's an option we should take _very seriously._"

Once again silence filled the room. The Secretary of State looked a large, rug-like map in the middle of the room. All the ministers and officials had seats surrounding this rug map, with the Daimyo's throne at the head. "We _are _particularly sandwiched between the Hidden Cloud Village…" He gestured to the Lightning Country northwest of the Snow Country before pointing to the Water Country southeast of them, merely half a day's trip away. "And the Hidden Mist Village. If we ignore Rock's request for aid _now_… we may find ourselves in a very unpleasant situation in the future from either Main Village and in need of Rock's cooperation... and they might turn a blind eye to us."

"Don't we have any _other _options?" an aide spoke from the side, drawing all eyes to the young man. He seemed to shrink underneath the collective gazes.

Yacho spoke once more. "The Hidden Cloud Village's reputation makes them less than desirable. The Mist Village would extend one hand in friendship, while holding a dagger behind their back with the other. The only minor villages close to us worth considering are Moyagakure and Tanigakure. Of the two, only Tanigakure has any friendly relations with us." His eyes glanced down at the rug map, settling on the Wood Country.

"But as we've already discussed, several minor countries alone cannot stand up to a Major Village, let alone two of them pressing us from both sides. If we are to survive the coming conflict, we absolutely must have the cooperation of a Major Village."

"Then what of the Hidden Leaf?" a guard spoke up.

"Sure," a minister aid offered with a sneer. "Call the Goodie Two-Shoes who think they're so much better than the rest of us, that they can do no wrong..."

"Sounds perfect," the treasurer cut in with a look that made the aid stop on his little tirade. "We play upon the sympathies of the do-gooders."

"Leaf has nothing against us, true enough," the Secretary of State agreed. "But the reverse is also true: They have nothing particularly _for _us either."

"Maybe not _us _personally." All heads turned directly to Sousetsu. Quieting down immediately to allow their Daimyo to continue, to which the man obliged. "But in regards to our associations, I imagine they'll be most… unhappy."

Silence hung in the air at that thought.

"Leaf and Rock have been bitter enemies during the last two wars. It doesn't take a wizard to realize that they'll come to blows again if things continue to spiral out of control. Trying to take up sides with Leaf with Rock on our records will make many nations think we're trying to play both sides."

"So if we are to ally with Leaf, we must sever all ties with Rock," someone offered.

"Now wait a minute. Rock may have a shady history, but the same can be said for _each _of the Five Great Villages. And we've had a good relationship with them. Should we really cast that off so easily?" another minister demanded.

That was the spark that sent the entire room arguing. Some wanting to make a deal with Leaf, others wanting to strengthen their ties to Rock. Their voices grew louder with every passing moment, which naturally encouraged others to shout louder in hopes of overpowering them. Several of the aids and guards looked ready to start brawling right then and there. Sousetsu tried a halfhearted attempt to regain order, but seemed content to allow his cabinet to bicker like children.

So Doto had Mikata use that special ninjutsu of hers to shut everyone up. It worked wonders, each of the men acting like they had been drenched in ice cold water before all looking in the young woman's direction. Yacho looked ready to strike at his Yuki-nin, but she got the drop first. "I believe Snow's _Commander-In-Chief_ has yet to offer his opinion."

A series of embarrassed groans emerged from those gathered. Servants began moving to tend to the cabinet members as Doto stood up. He'd already had his opinion formed long before this meeting even began, but he wanted to gauge the state of everyone before offering it.

Standing up, he walked upon the rug so everyone could see him. "There are a lot of unknowns here, from how the various villages will react, to when or even _if _the other Major Villages will act, to how far this war will spread. Rock and Sand could crush Wood, Rain and Grass within a month and that would be the end of it… just as it's possible for every village to emerge and fight, leading the land to the brink of utter ruin, much like the outcome of the First Shinobi War."

There was a series of nods, primarily from those who had been supportive of maintaining relations with the Earth Country.

"Leaf may aid us." Doto continued walking over the map and standing right on top of the Fire Country. "Or they may not. It amounts to the same thing: Unknown. The simple truth is, we don't know _how _Leaf will react, and in this time of vast unknowns and uncertainties, we need to limit those unknowns as much as we can. By acting on what we _do _have. Not to mention a far more _basic _principle. The Hidden Rock Village is, for all intents and purposes, our friend. What would we be showing the world if we abandoned our associates at the first sign of trouble?"

More nods came, this time from both sides of the argument. Mikata just smiled appreciatively and even Yacho gave a simple nod of approval in Doto's direction. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Sousetsu's disapproving scowl, but when he looked over at his brother, it was back to a mask of serenity, making Doto wonder if he had imagined it.

His brother's next words shattered the unity everyone was experiencing. "So you're saying we should go to war."

Moods darkened. People looked anxiously at one another. The guards around the perimeter tightened their grips, all in preparation for another round of shouting arguments.

Doto had anticipated his brother's reaction. Whether it was because he didn't want to go to war or some hidden motive, he did not know. Nor did it matter. "I have merely said that we have several reasons to aid Rock in this conflict. I did _not _say Snow should march to war."

His brother's gaze narrowed, but everyone else looked intrigued. "What do you propose, Doto-sama?" the Secretary of State asked, breaking the silence.

A shrewd look appeared on the young man's face. "We send Rock resources. Equipment, food, medical supplies, the works. We will fuel their war machine."

"Will that be enough to satisfy them in place of manpower?" the treasurer demanded. Even though as he said it, it was clear he was running the figures in his mind.

"It will be if we just agree to _lend _them the supplies," Doto answered.

"What?"

"You want us to just GIVE them everything?"

"We're hurting in our coffers already!"

Doto shot a look at Mikata, who prepared to act again. That encouraged them to settle down so Doto could speak. "Wouldyou _prefer_ to go to war?"

No one answered that.

"I thought not. Yes, this will hurt Snow in the short term. But given the alternative, it'll be the best option around. We'll get Rock feeding out of our hands. The more they get used to us, the more they'll rely on us. Then they'll start paying back what they owe and demand more. Demands we will met… until this war is over," Doto announced.

Several people nodded in acceptance of this logic. Others muttered to their fellows. The treasurer rubbed his fingers around his chin, thinking. Finally, he inquired. "How do you intend to finance this… plan?"

"The Military is already restructuring itself; they will spearhead this. And we'll slowly bring in outside help, offering many jobs and opportunities for those in need of work. In the beginning, we'll have to pay them with basic necessities. Food, blankets, and so on. It'll be hard. It'll require sacrifice on all our parts." Doto paused, letting that sink in. They all understood that if this was to work, everyone here would have to commit and give up something.

"However, we will emerge _stronger _than ever. Our economy will stabilize, our people will find their resolve, and we will strengthen our ties to other villages so that when this war is over, _Snow _will come out on top."

Almost everyone jumped to their feet, inspired by their Commander-In-Chief and his plan of action. Already the various ministers were discussing possible short cuts and cutting of corners to support this endeavor. Yacho stood up, his face beaming and promising that Snow will undergo their own revisions to build strength and be ready, for whatever they may be called upon. Mikata even came, planting a kiss right on Doto.

As for Sousetsu, he didn't speak. He just gave a nod.

_Snow has a saying that the snow is best when it's warm. It's the idea that when you accomplish something grand, nothing seems to hinder you._

_In one swift act, I had accomplished nearly all my goals. I came up with a solution for Snow in this war. I had been the one to voice the reasons no one else cared to. _I _came up with a means to compensate for my brother's poor handling of the Country's finances, and did it in such a way that everyone would be watching. I can remember thinking that whatever happened the first time around, I had successfully blocked Sousetsu from repeating that action. It didn't matter if it was a deliberate attempt or just an honest error, I just made sure it would _not _happen again._

_We called the act 'Bread Under The Table'. Within two weeks, we started sending supplies to Rock. Since Snow had not publically declared itself at war, we made use of our 'neutrality'. Our convoys did nothing to provoke anyone. Supplies were carefully calculated and handled so no one deduced their real purpose. Iwagakure accepted the gesture as I predicted, which significantly eased their burdens._

_Snow as a whole was hard pressed to keep this up in the beginning. So many expenses to cover: from new building establishments, to cultivating extra food, to training many for the new roles. Food was the greatest challenge, but one we were able to overcome. It pushed our resolve and commitment to its maximum. Everyone from the highest reaches of the government to the poorest civilian felt the pressure and over-exhausted efforts we needed._

_It was the calculated risk. As long as everyone gave their all, made sacrifices for the greater good, I believed Rock would start 'repaying' us back. The fear I had was that if Iwa shinobi took too long in doing so, many would grow disheartened. The other officials especially. _

_7 weeks after the war, right as it was entering its third month, Rock made its first repayment on our efforts, the first of many regular payments. It was like Snow had been holding its breath the entire time, and we could finally draw in fresh air. The plan worked._

_With the burdens eased, our resolve was doubled. Snow began benefitting from the efforts. Grateful income flooded in. The economy, which had been on the skin of its teeth, was on the rebound. With the financial situation stable and under my watchful eye, I was tempted to confront my brother. _

_I did not. _

_I felt as long as the war was going on, that should be the first priority. After all, if any of Rock's enemies discovered our little secret, it would not bode well for us._

_The fact that the war lasted as long as it did was reason enough to focus on it. It was two Major Villages vs three Minor ones. Victory was predicted within two months. It had doubled that with no end in sight._

_Despite some heavy losses during the first engagements, the villages of Rain, Grass and Wood were holding out. Against all predictions, they continued to resist. There were two reasons for this._

_The first was that the Minor Villages began resorting to guerilla tactics. Swift hit and runs, avoiding all open conflicts. Wood and Grass completely abandoned their Hidden Villages. Rock and Sand found no targets to focus on, had no means of finding the hiding minor shinobi. Entire portions of their countries, including the Wood Capital itself, were razed to the ground in an effort to provoke the minors into attacking. Sometimes it worked. Most of the time, it resulted in sabotage and stealth raids. It was quite clever, if I do say so myself._

_The second was Amegakure's Hanzo, the Salamander. It was believed he took direct control of the three villages' alliance. It was said that after two wars that left Rain in utter ruins, Hanzo had taken those lessons to heart. He played Iwagakure and Sunagakure like they were children. He always seemed able to find their vulnerable spots. Always one step ahead. Hidden Rain itself remained intact as a result, Hanzo's actions impeding Rock and Sand's efforts to destroy it. Perhaps most notably, Hanzo was known for tracking down and eliminating high priority commanders. One by one._

_Personally, I would have enjoyed meeting that legendary figure. Just once. I can remember the talk. How Hanzo was solid proof a minor village could gain wide recognition. On par with that of the Five Great Countries._

_This created a stalemate in the war. With the new tactics, the Major Villages were unable to crush the resisting shinobi under their heels. But the forces of Rock and Sand were so large and disciplined, the Minor Villages' efforts were about as effective as papercuts._

_So as war entered its sixth month, Rock and Sand tried a new plan. They invaded the Waterfall Country. Hundreds of troops blitzed in record time. The Waterfall Capital swiftly fell under the onslaught. The Waterfall Village itself was rife with chaos, unable to coordinate anything that could be considered a defense. While many historians considered this extremely unethical, they were in awe at the daring. It was considered one of the most ingenious military maneuvers of the war. Hanzo's forces simply did not have the manpower to hammer away at Rock and Sand's forces across four countries. The taking of Waterfall also opened up an entirely new route directly into Rain territory. All the way to Amegakure itself. Everyone knew this._

_I can remember thinking at the time that the attack on Waterfall was a sign of their frustration. The two villages weren't in danger of losing. They were just sick of being pecked at without gain. It was like a small bug bite. One was annoying, but hardly worth mentioning. The same could be said for two. But get a dozen of them and your irritation levels would go through the roof. You wanted to do _SOMETHING _about it. The more extreme, the better._

_But that did not necessarily mean it was smart._

_Not to mention the more obvious fact that by doing so, they acquired yet another enemy force they would have to deal with. Takigakure no Sato._

_When news of this reached Snow, I pondered for a full hour on the pros and cons. Wood, Grass and Rain were hanging on by mere threads, but Waterfall was entirely fresh. Their attack sent Waterfall into chaos, but the other minor villages showed that it took far more than that to subdue a nation. That their shinobi wouldn't go down without a fight. _

_I eventually decided I needed to look more into this. See if Rock or Sand knew something about their strike they hadn't shared. Some factor I didn't have to give me the answer. Irony is a cruel master because it turned out completely pointless. _

_For a mere week later after their invasion of Waterfall, the answer was thrust right into our faces._

When the news came, Doto went directly to Yukigakure to discuss the matter. Yacho himself had awaited Snow's Commander-in-Chief outside the swirling maelstrom. The two navigated through the manmade storm and into the village proper. All around, signs of war showed as the two walked towards Weather Control, Snow's equivalent of a Kage Tower, named so because part of the job was to monitor the protective maelstrom. The last thing anyone wanted was for something to go wrong and let the unnatural storm tear through the village it was supposed to keep safe.

It was through the hallways in this building where the Kagirinai Kachuu confirmed the news.

The Hidden Leaf Village had entered the war.

"According to our sources," Yacho explained as the two men walked towards his office, located in the lowest level. "Konohagakure was in an alliance with Waterfall. So once it was attacked, they decided to act."

Doto gave a nod. "It was only a matter of time before one of the remaining Main Villages took action."

"All the more so if you consider their situation. _Four _of the border countries are under siege under the joint command of traditional enemies," Yacho agreed as they turned around a corner. "I imagine even if Leaf _wasn't _in an alliance, they would have acted. The region is far too unstable to believe war won't spread to them."

The man found himself nodding again. "Very true. If Rock was willing to attack a neutral nation, who can say how long it'll be before they do it again? Even to the Fire Country itself."

"Agreed. But that _isn't _the reason I called you in, Doto-sama."

Doto waited for the man to elaborate.

"Kirigakure is on the move. They're aiding Leaf."

Doto came to a dead stop. "What?"

"Exactly like I said," Yacho confirmed. "They're in an alliance."

"How!? Why? _WHEN_?"

"Unknown. But we do know that ships from the Water Country are setting sail as we speak. They're on a direct course for the Fire Country. Konohagakure has also commandeered several highly praised docks on their coast. They're on a direct path to the Mist ships, and they _aren't _being fortified for an attack."

Doto was too stunned to speak at first. His mind was in high gear. Even if Konoha was to aid the minor villages, Rock and Sand were too disciplined for this to really change anything. It would make things difficult, but Leaf couldn't handle two Major Villages alone with only ragtag allies. And that was assuming they bothered to work with Wood, Rain and Grass.

But _TWO _Major Villages together? That had the potential to turn this entire conflict around. Both Leaf and Mist would be fresh. Rock and Sand had been fighting for months. All those 'papercut' losses they'd taken from Hanzo could be enough for Leaf and Mist to get the upper hand completely. Finally recovering his voice, Snow's Commander-in-Chief blurted out. "I can understand missing an alliance between Leaf and a minor village like Waterfall." Their own arrangement with Rock was a mirror match after all. "But how did we miss one between those two?"

The Kagirinai Kachuu didn't bother to answer that. He just dove into the next point. "With two new enemies, plus all the various minor village shinobi scattered about, Rock will be in a position for more troops. Our deal may not be enough for them anymore. Not to mention that the Water Country knows we've been on friendly terms with Rock ever since our negotiations with them broke down. They may even know we're aiding Rock under the table."

All those points meant the same thing: It would mean marching directly to war. "_Are _we in a position to marshal our forces?"

"As good as we're going to be," Yacho confirmed. "Ever since we began supplying Rock, I've been readying the Snow Village. Every shinobi has been training like crazy, and the ANBU are devising battle tactics and supply layouts. We even terminated dropouts at the Academy. Any Genin that fail their exams are re-drilled instead of being cast out. Retired shinobi are being called back into service."

The unanswered question hung in the man's eyes for Doto: _Do we march? _

"Efficient," Doto complimented. He turned and they resumed walking down to the Snow leader's office. "We must have all options ready, including war. Any news on Cloud?"

"No sir," Yacho answered as their pace picked up.

"At least that's one thing we predicted accurately. With Leaf and Mist now entering the war, they are in the perfect position. They get to sit back and watch while all their rivals slug it out in a long bloody war."

"What of the Daimyo?" Doto looked back over at the other man. "Between Rock's invasion of Waterfall and Mist entering the war, he'll argue we should have cut all ties and allied with Leaf."

"… and what do you say?" Doto asked. He half-expected this argument to come up. Best to deal with it now.

"… I'm with you, sir. We cast our lot already. Rock may be gaining an ill reputation, but that's the decision we made back when we voted to act. It's far too late now to worry if we're backing the wrong horse. We just have to make sure it works out. Maybe even use the position to ensure Rock doesn't do anymore questionable actions."

The answer pleased Doto. "You're a good man. I'll deal with my brother. In the meantime, we must be ready to do whatever it takes to ensure Snow survives this war."

_I can remember that even as I spoke those words, how futile that effort appeared. Despite all I could do, I knew – as did everyone – that Snow really was no different in the war than minor villages that were being razed to the ground. We were just one pawn on the gameboard, with no knowledge of the plans or actions the 'players' would take. Our fate could easily mirror that of Wood or Grass: steamrolled by the big players that cared nothing for the small people in between. I even knew that Rock would turn on us if the situation were dire enough. It was a choice, really, of just rolling over and accepting the inevitable, or fighting an uphill battle._

_Between those choices, I'd take fighting an uphill battle every time._

_I can't really recall if my determination at the time was genuine, or just a truth I didn't want to admit. I was too focused on the problem to allow myself to think too much on the ramifications of war. I just knew the likelihood of us having to fight was very real. That either Rock would call on us to fight in the open, or Mist would decide to take action._

_Leaf and Mist's first move was a brutal one. They called it a 'Scorched Earth' policy. They razed half of the Grass Country. Burned it to the ground, leaving very little left in entire areas of Grass. That much destruction kicked the Rock and Sand war machine right in the stomach, as the action had divided their forces in two. Leaf and Mist then hit their enemy while they were divided right in the flanks. Whether they called upon the minors to back them up during this strike, we never knew. I would say it would have been smart too, but on the other hand, they _did _decimate a Minor Country in order to carry out their plan. I doubt Kusagakure was overly happy with that option._

_In the end, it didn't matter what the Minor Countries did during that time or not. It was just part of the brutal reality that the minors, no matter how strong, were just dust in the wind to the big players. That ugly truth reared its head when Cloud attacked the Hotsprings Nation. Against all my predictions and reason, it did involve itself directly in the war. Their attack on Hotsprings was devastating. More so than the damage from Rain, Grass, Wood _and _Waterfall _combined. _What they hoped to accomplish from that strike, I do not know._

_But it marked the true beginning of the war. With all Five of the Major Villages openly on the battlefield, any sense of equality from the minor nations was completely lost. Even our own standing with Rock became hardly worth noticing. They agreed to keep the current arrangement because it offered more benefits than forcing us to fight. Honestly, I don't think they would have trusted any minor village at that point. Not that we were complaining._

_Sousetsu's reactions during all this surprised me nearly as much as Cloud's entry into the war. He was in complete agreement. Where I expected him to say 'we should have allied with Leaf', he supported mine and Yacho's actions. He had even taken it a step further, saying he would talk directly with the Water Country to clear any bad air between them. I just had to worry about keeping Rock happy._

_I wasn't convinced. Maybe I should have been ashamed, given my brother the benefit of the doubt. But I saw nothing in his actions that made me believe better for him. I did see that he, like the rest of us, was busy on focusing on the immediate problem and making everything else a lesser priority. I'll give Sousetsu that much._

_It would be four years later when I realized how much Sousetsu was willing to commit for the benefits of Snow. An action that shocked me so much, I very nearly became convinced I had misjudged him._

Four years of war. Four years of outright hell. Four years of the Major Villages tearing the world apart. It seemed like they were doing it out of sheer spite. If they were making any gains, they seemed secondary to the colossal damage being inflicted on everyone.

So far, the Snow Country had been spared; one of the few lucky ones that could claim as much. The two leading brothers had worked hard on that angle, knowing they were walking a knife's edge that could make any side angry enough to come at them. But their efforts were successful and so far, Snow had remained out of the war. While the payments from Rock were not as generous as in the early days, they were still plentiful.

Meetings were held nearly every week. With the ever-changing situation of the war, it seemed every time Snow laid out a plan, something new happened that made it worthless.

Until Sousetsu came in with an announcement.

"I intend to wed the Water Daimyo's daughter," he proclaimed.

The entire cabinet held seemed to have lost its breath. It was notable that all shinobi, including the Ice Guard, were not present. Yukigakure was on high alert, and most of the shinobi were assigned to border patrol, locking down the entire nation. Only individuals with official documentation, like the convoys, were allowed in or out.

The Daimyo's daughter was known to be a wild card. Not one of her father's favorite children and third in line for succession. It was often suspected that no one of the royal family wanted anything to do with her. That was the extent Doto knew about her.

"Wouldn't that mean we're declaring our official support for the Water Country?" the Secretary of State asked.

"No," the Snow Daimyo offered. "It's an agreement of concessions. A non-aggression pact. This political marriage is the final means to seal the deal. Regardless of what happens in the Water, we of Snow and Mist will have an understanding."

_Maybe this would seem like a small thing to anyone else. The idea of political marriages was not an alien concept. But I'd be lying if I said this didn't shake me to the core. The man I suspected of spending the country's funds on useless knickknacks was now committing to a lifelong relationship with a woman he barely knew for the sake of his country. It just seemed so… out of character. Assuming there even was a hidden motive, the benefits were just too good to be true._

_I really should have trusted my instincts._

The Water Princess, Ippin Funsui, arrived a week later. The sight of her made everyone in Snow drop dead. She was wearing a gorgeous blue gown that seemed to be sewn from the deepest blue skies themselves. It went down all the way to her feet, and left her shoulders bare. She had several snow-white sashes wrapped around her. A clear veil covered her face, but still revealed her sea green hair tied up in a bun, with several different flowers in it.

The sight of her made everyone question the rumors and gossip of her being an unwanted family member.

Inside the Kazahana Castle, both brothers looked down. Doto found himself breaking out in a happy grin and patted his brother on the back. "Come on, be happy! This is your moment!"

Sousetsu gave a laugh. It felt so natural, so real. Something that Doto felt had been missing for years.

"You are right. Of course you're right." As he said that, he seemed to become completely at ease. Nor did Doto believe this was an act. "Guess I'm just a bit nervous." He gestured the window.

"Look at her. She's gorgeous. She's far too good for a backwater slum dweller like me."

"Then we'll just have to make Snow something more than a backwater slum," Doto declared.

His elder brother gave him a curious look. "Do you have an idea?"

The younger brother smiled. He had intended to introduce this after the wedding, to let his brother have his moment, but since it had been brought up, Doto reached into his robes and handed the Daimyo a file, entitled: _Registration Enlistment Act. _

A document that Doto had spent the last three months creating with Yacho. It stated that any person who had a connection to the military, no matter how small, would be registered into Military Service. All individuals would be trained and drilled in preparation for, should the need arise, drafting into the armed forces.

This notably referred to the massive portions of the populations working in factories, all technically regarded as civilian ventures. This document would remove that technicality entirely. Preparing his reasons, Doto started. "I realize that this may seem a bit extreme, and I imagine many will see this as giving too much power to the military, but in this time of war – "

Sousetsu was already waving him off. "You don't need to explain your reasons to me, brother. You never had to. I trust you. Do as you see fit."

_For that one brief moment, it really was back to old times. Like the night when Sousetsu had pulled out my half-made manuscript on Flight of Dragons and my little statue. Confidence. Foresight. Absolute trust. That he could look at my future plans and know I would do what was best, just as I could look at him and know he could be the center to keep these plans progressing._

_And things were definitely progressing. With Sousetsu's marriage to the Water princess, Kirigakure no longer seemed like a threat, and with our supplies to Iwagakure, it was still enough to keep them pacified. The war itself was by no means downsizing. It still seemed to be escalating by the day but as far as my country was concerned… the war seemed very far away._

_We allowed ourselves to relax, but we never forgot that the war could change in a heartbeat. Kumogakure, still going about its solo run, was still a real concern. We still had Yukigakure remain on high alert, and I did everything I could to ready ourselves just in case the worst came._

_For two years this went on. A single safe haven from the bloody war. _

_Then _that _happened._

Doto was standing in the corner of the room. Nursemaids all huddled around the bed like bees hovering over a flower. Sousetsu held his wife's hand as one of the nurses passed a small crying bundle to Funsui's arms.

A baby.

Sousetsu and Funsui's faces seemed to light up like the sun itself as they looked over the newborn, a tiny hand reaching up and trying to take hold of Sousetsu's glasses, having been acquired during the previous year. Both new parents let out a laugh as the mother gently pushed the infant's hand away while Sousetsu spoke the child's name.

"Koyuki."

"Light snow," Funsui translated, rocking the babe in her arms. "Yes. You will bring new meaning to Snow and this country, little one."

That earned a coo from Koyuki as she now tried to reach her mother's hair.

Doto gave another smile and silently left the room. He had been there to support his brother and now was the time to step back and let them enjoy their newest joy. He would have plenty of time to congratulate them – and pamper his new niece – later.

Walking into the hallway, Mikata was there waiting for him. A bright smile on her face. "Boy or girl?"

"It's a girl," he answered proudly.

"It must be wonderful to be a parent."

"Then maybe it should be our turn next."

The words slipped out before Doto thought better of them. His face started turning bright red. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened. The woman before him just stared in amazement, then broke off into a smile, giggling behind her hand.

That just made the young man's face even redder, if that were possible. "I'm s – "

Mikata put a finger to his mouth, cutting him off.

_Would I have said 'sorry' or 'serious'? I won't ever know the answer to that question. Because my mind would go blank with her next words._

"I will… if you ask me."

For the life of him, Doto could not utter the 'M' word. But fully caught up in the moment, he hesitantly improvised. "… I pledge my life, my heart to you." He held out a hand to her.

Her response was to throw her arms around the man and plant her lips firmly against his.

_She said yes._

_That single gesture said more than anything she could have verbally expressed._

_Honestly, I was tempted to have the ceremony at the end of the week. And thoughts of honoring my brother's child, matters of the state or even the war would not have dissuaded me. This was my moment, for our joint future and the prosperity of the entire country. If Mikata hadn't spoken her next line, I probably would have pushed to do it that quickly._

"_I just wish your parents could have seen this." _

_That one simple line made me feel guilty. What of her side of the family? What of her parents, relatives, friends? I had just proposed and all I could think was what I wanted. It made me feel more ashamed than I care to admit._

_We decided to do things properly. Schedule it within a year's time. More than enough to formally prepare everything. Make sure we didn't neglect our responsibilities. I was Snow's Commander-in-Chief, and while Mikata was merely a Jonin in name (one of numerous wartime promotions), already her name was spoken throughout the Shinobi Village with pride and authority. Do things right, that's what we decided._

_We went about our duties. My Enlistment Act passed without hassle. Yukigakure began installing direct overseers at each factory, using their knowledge on how to best make their supplies ideal for shinobi. I was proud during that time. Most proud. My future was secure; every day, my efforts made sure the country's future was secure as well. The war was seven years so far, and Snow remained untouched. Because of my efforts, MY vision, __**MY**__ leadership, that had been made possible. It was undeniable. Even my brother couldn't deny it, and he wisely didn't._

_Everything was perfect. Everything was going my way. _

_Two weeks before our wedding… it happened. _

If Snow was best when it was warmest, then it was downright vengeful when it was coldest. A chilling, suffocating stranglehold that made you forget the very meaning of 'joy'. An icy apparition of death looming over your shoulder just waiting to remind you how unfair life can be. Word of what happened spread so fast, you would have thought the war had gotten worse – if it were possible – and all five Great Villages were about to descend on Snow.

And in several respects, that would have made things easier. At least they would've had a clear enemy.

Kazahana Funsui, wife and mother, was found dead in the forest. Cause of death was drowning.

The nearest water source from where her body had been found? Twenty three kilometers.

Snow was in an uproar, demanding answers largely as a front to mask their confusion on the matter. Why had Funsui left the palace? Indeed, _when _had she left the palace? And how could she have drowned to death yet be so far away from water?

The most vocal voices of this tragedy were not from the denizens of the Snow Country, but from the Water Country. The Water Daimyo himself was openly hostile, saying that clearly Snow had done away with his daughter. It was a stance that many ended up believing, that the Snow Government had deliberately ended the Water Princess' life, though hardly anyone could find a decent motive to explain such things.

Not that a lack of motive helped matters with a grieving father.

And the opening of the floodgates did not end on that regard. Merely two days after Funsui's death, Leaf came knocking. Bringing an entire caravan of Snow wagons, tossing aside the 'humanitarian' supplies of food, clothes and blankets, and revealing the armaments hidden underneath. As part of their 'Goodie Two-Shoes' nature, Leaf was perfectly willing to turn a blind eye to shipments of food even to their enemies. Weapons, however, would not be tolerated.

In less than three days, Snow had gone from being safe, in control, and on top of the Shinobi World to being the immediate focal point. As most of the Great Villages' militaries had been on the central continent, that gave Snow some breathing room. A force of Leaf and Mist Ninja were coming straight towards them and would take days. Rock and Sand were positioned to intercept, on the condition that Yuki-nin be present. If they were to defend Snow, Snow had _better _take part and not remain on the sidelines to let Iwagakure and Sunagakure do all the dirty work.

So on the third morning after Funsui's death, Snow forces departed, marching out of the Kazahana Palace in force with samurai troops. Prior to the beginning of the war, Yukigakure had hosted a mere two hundred shinobi. Even among minor villages, that was considerably low. In the seven years of war, under Doto's handling, that number had grown to three times that.

Of that number, the decision had been made to send five hundred of Yukigakure's shinobi to the battlefield on the continent. Eighty percent of Snow's standing samurai forces would be sent as well.

When they departed, all of the palace personnel – servants, remaining guards, and the government personages – stood in silence, watching, noting the faces among them. Chief among them was Yukigakure's Nidaime Kagirinai Kachuu, Yacho, who was personally leading Snow's armed forces. Another familiar face among them was Mamori, Mikata's mentor. With the Captain of the Ice Guard departing, Mikata ascended to the position. One of Yacho's personal aids would be running the Village directly in their leader's absence. Snow's forces would meet up with Rock, Sand and other shinobi currently allied with them at Sun Dance Valley in the Hotsprings country, where the enemy force was headed for a jumping-off point.

Half a day after the army had left the country on route for the battlefield, Mikata came to Doto and requested they postpone the wedding. Before Doto could make any assumptions as to why, she handed him an intelligence report they had just received from Tanigakure.

A Mist strike force was on their way, from the Water Country itself.

War was about to come to the Snow Country directly.

Understanding immediately, Doto accepted Mikata's wish as they rushed to mobilize a defense. Mikata had rushed back to the Snow Village, gathering what she could, while Doto alerted his brother and the other officials.

Within three hours, a defense force was assembled at the southern shores of the Snow Country. From Yukigakure were Mikata and a force of thirty Snow Shinobi. Behind them, in a makeshift palisade wall, was a force of one hundred and fifty samurai. The general consensus was that one shinobi was equal to three samurai, save for those elite ones of the Iron Country. Which meant that they were roughly equal to an additional fifty 'shinobi'.

Doto was standing aside with the armed men, all of them looking nervous while the Yuki Nin were setting wire traps. Mikata herself was staring off towards the coast… and then silently raised her arm into the air.

They were here.

Out in the ocean, a head appeared from the water, revealing a Mist Headband and breather much like an Ame-nin's. That head was soon followed by more, all rising to reveal their full height. Each one of them was dressed in traditional Kiri garb, sporting the Chunin vests that looked fully loaded with equipment. One additional fashion statement was the war masks each of them wore, depicting oni and various other demon faces for psychological warfare on their opponents.

Doto felt his heart drop as he counted their numbers. A little over two hundred. There was no doubt they had some support ships somewhere with additional troops and supplies. With this many here, Kirigakure must have deployed some of its domestic forces design to protect the Water Country for this attack… but Doto wasn't sure if this was good sign or not.

Two hundred Mist Ninja. Against thirty Yuki-nin and a hundred fifty samurai.

This could not be considered an even fight in any regard.

One person moved. One person amongst the gathered, frightened men and women of the Snow Country. This person moved past all the defenses and came to the beachhead, looking on the entire assault force.

Mikata, fresh in an entirely new outfit for the battle, put her hands together, made sixteen seals and spoke the words.

"Yuton: Ooyuki Fungeki no Jutsu!"

_Snow Release. The signature art of __Tanomoshii Mikata. A private assertion from her; 'If we're Snow Shinobi, we should fight with SNOW!'. It was not a bloodline or even a hidden move. It was something she created through her own unique talents._

_Mikata's fighting style revolved around using the snow to hinder. Make an opponent wear themselves out, and let the cold do the rest. Snow was more malleable than ice, allowing Mikata far more flexibility to draw out a fight._

_It was this line of thought that served as our defense plan. Engage, retreat, draw out. Lead the Mist Ninja running after us throughout our home. Keep them running, let them feel snow's sting upon them. The main problem was that there were more Kiri-nin than there were of us, and if we played one wrong move, we could have found ourselves surrounded. Or worse, the enemy would push deeper into our country, towards the villages and prized targets, such as the Capital or Yukigakure. The loss of either would be damning. _

_Of course, Kirigakure were no amateurs. Amateurs did not get to become one of the Five Great Villages. They had prepared their shinobi for winter conditions. It was our hope that upon seeing our defenses, they would _think _we were preparing for a direct fight to stop them, rather than let the climate do our work. _

_Our forces held the line for exactly one hour, with samurai using javelins, spears, and bows and arrows to keep the Mist forces at a distance, while our shinobi took snippet shots at them, taking them down one at a time, with Mikata personally taking down four of them. It was this that made the Mist Ninja unleash their calling card, the Kirigakure no Jutsu, smothering our side in blinding mist. As per our plan, we fled. The Mist Ninja believed we panicked and followed suit._

_For the rest of the day, we played a delicate game of cat and mouse. Leading the Mist Ninja in circles, using ninjutsu to increase the cold of the area. I took a kunai to the arm during that time, but I refused to run to safety. I would stand and fight. If we could not beat the Mist here, in our first engagement, Snow's fate would mirror that of so many other minor countries. _

_Total devastation. Not just to the damage in the land, but the pain inflicted on her people. The loss of what it means to be 'human'. I was determined to make sure that it would NOT happen to Snow! Snow would NOT fall like Grass, Waterfall, or Hotsprings! Hanzo of Rain had shown that a minor village could stand up to the Major ones! And it was our turn!_

_I would like to say that under our joint leadership, Mikata and I lead our forces to victory that day. I would be lying. It was Mikata who saw us through. It was Mikata who led the Mist Shinobi like headless geese throughout the countryside. At the end of the day, there wasn't a single man who wasn't enthralled with her. When the hundredth Mist Ninja fell, the rest retreated, falling back to their waiting ships._

_Seventy eight samurai had paid with their lives, but not one of our shinobi fell. These thirty men and women would form the basis of Mikata's Saati Koukennin down the road. But for now, we were all relishing in our victory. All the sacrifices, all the commitments, had paid off. If I ever had any doubts in my beliefs, they were eliminated in that moment._

_The Government, the DAIMYO, was what had to be strong. The leaders. That was what was needed, above all else. And the one responsible for it was me. Others played key roles, true enough, such as Mikata leading the defense or Yacho leading our forces to the heart of the war on the mainland… but it was entirely due to MY maneuvering that they were able to manage what they did. It was thanks to MY focus on the military and building it up that Snow departed with some actual strength as opposed to ragtag ruffians. It was thanks to MY efforts that tied nearly ALL of Snow into the military that allowed us to form such a quick and effective defense against the invading Mist Ninja._

_So I vowed that I would continue to do so. I would continue to ensure Snow made it through this war intact!_

Snow's victory over the invading Mist Ninja had raised their morale tenfold. With the backing of their leaders, the entire country felt as if it were ready to handle anything the enemy could throw at them.

It was when news of the forces dispatched to the front lines came that reality slapped Snow in the face and forced them to wake up. Everything seemed to hit the Sun Dance Valley. Shinobi, mercenary forces, and country samurai. Every angle, every alliance, seemed to converge on that point. Even the Cloud Village, still largely detached, appeared there. It was enough to make nearly everyone believe that it was the endgame. That the war would be over with this one decisive match.

So when reality hit Snow, it made sure to include everyone else.

The Battle of Sun Dance Valley was by no means an endgame. It was one of the single, if not _the _single, largest engagement in the history of the Third Shinobi War. Some say out of _any_ war. It lasted a full seven days, one week of complete bloodshed. 70 percent of those who had fought there were dead. Of the five hundred Snow Ninja, that number had been reduced to a hundred in that single engagement, including Mikata's mentor, Dobei Mamori.

That battle changed the entire face of the war. Villages began downscaling, reprioritizing. As shinobi did not grow on trees, replacing that loss of life was virtually impossible. The Five Great Villages began using far more calculated strategies, trying to wear each other down, only using direct force or numbers when they were certain of victory.

In a way, this was an improvement to the war. Battles were not nearly as common as before, and those that did occur were not on the same scale, with only dozens of participants as opposed to hundreds or even thousands. Casualty reports were drastically less than in the years previous. Collateral damage became nonexistent, allowing ravaged countries like Grass to begin the long healing process. Many of the minor countries believed that if the Kages were of any other generation, peace would have followed, that their stubbornness and sense of pride allowed things to continue. That they were determined to hammer out once and for all just which one of them was on top of the food chain.

So while the fighting was only a fraction of what it had been, the tension seemed to skyrocket. Shinobi seemed to be everywhere, from the heartlands of their home countries to the depths of enemy territory. From the heights of the mountains to the banks of the sea. They seemed to be everywhere, disappearing and reappearing as ghosts. Hardly anyone knew their targets, or what they hoped to accomplish.

Snow wasn't any stranger to this. In the months following, Mist launched many raids against their shores. Constantly testing their defenses, trying to assassinate key officials, such as the Snow User who had thwarted them. Only three times did they launch a direct attack, and each one of them failed. Of those three, one of them included Leaf Ninja, lead by the infamous Morino Ibiki. He _did _get close to taking out Mikata. These attacks failed more as a result of Mist not wanting to waste the men rather than being beaten back; not that Snow was complaining. The result was the same: Mist was stopped from attacking.

This resulted in more and more resources and manpower being diverted for the war effort. Humanity, construction, food cultivation, and more were reprioritized for military efforts. And more and more villages, towns and even cities were forced to do without, bearing the ugly price of war. Even the Daimyo's Palace wasn't immune. Even things like heating and plumbing were forfeited.

Nearly a year after Snow had entered the war, Mist _did _break through Snow's defenses. They succeeded into getting into the country proper, razing a half dozen villages to the ground with no survivors. The chaos and panic swept over the country, especially when Doto gave the order for Snow's defenders to fall back and protect the two critical areas: The Capital where the Kazahana Palace was located, and Yukigakure.

Not wanting a direct confrontation and seeing their prime targets well guarded, Mist pulled out. But not before ravaging another half dozen villages in response. Doto felt remorse for those villages sacrificed, but no guilt. It had to be done. New villages would come; people would smooth the damaged lands. Friends and family would ensure those who died would be remembered. Snow had been damaged, but it would recover.

Even with that said, _no one _was prepared for the next surprise the day after Mist departed.

Sousetsu had called his cabinet together, wanting to discuss something when the message arrived.

Yacho had been killed in battle.

The report said that he had faced the rising leader of the Leaf Forces. A figure that many believed could change the tide of the war by himself. The reports declared that this man had taken down Yacho with ease, while some shinobi who had survived the encounter said that Yacho went down fighting, pushing this new leader to his limits.

The Snow officials barely had time to register Yacho's death and what it meant when _it _happened.

_Even now, I can remember it as clear as if it were yesterday. We had been sitting in that room when the doors flung open. Chilling winds flew in like specters, biting us with their cold hard teeth. Every head swung towards the entrance in a heartbeat. I can remember anxiety on the officials' faces, the guards' hands reaching for their weapons._

_A single figure entered, his footsteps echoing throughout the room. A man of such presence, no one dared move. No one dared to _breathe. _I was no exception. Any thought of keeping up my image or thoughts of pretenses were wiped away as firmly as if I had been brainwashed. This man continued towards the center of the room, the lights slowly illuminating him more and more with every step, starting with the feet up._

_He wore standard Leaf ninja attire; blue shirt and matching pants with the Konohagakure standard flak jacket and sandals. In addition was a short-sleeved, long white coat decorated by flame-like motifs on the edges._

_The sharp yellow of the man's hair was the thing that everyone seemed to pick up at once and it was this feature that mesmerized us all. The emerging hero of the Leaf. The one individual for whom Rock's standing order was to flee on sight. The one who had earned the name Kiiroi Senko._

Namikaze Minato.

He stood right there in the middle of room, like a living god. Over his shoulder was a bundle.

"Evening."

Minato spoke that one word and continued walking forward like this was his own home. He came to a stop just in front of Sousetsu. Shifting the bundle across his shoulders to his hands, he knelt down and gently placed it in front of the Snow Daimyo. "Your Kagirinai Kachuu. I return him to you."

With those words, everyone else finally snapped back to reality. The guards on the walls finally readied their weapons while the Yuki-Nin began forming seals. Minato just held up a hand, and an eyeblink later, that hand was miraculously holding the samurai's weapons. The shinobi all looked completely dazed, as if key pressure points had been hit. While the samurai just looked at their empty hands with absolute horror, Minato calmly opened his hand, letting the small collection drop down to the ground, cluttering the area around his feet.

Genjutsu? That legendary Hiraishin? Just pure speed? No one knew.

"Now that I have your attention," Minato addressed Sousetsu directly. "Let us talk more civilly."

"Why should we listen to you?" a guard managed to shout out. One look made the guy want to pee his pants.

"Because, if we were completely honest, if I came here with ill intent, not only would I have done it already… none of you would be able to stop me."

It wasn't a question. It wasn't even a threat. It was just a cold, hard fact. That this man could decimate this entire room by himself faster than anyone could blink. Many, Doto included, found it difficult to breathe just as surely as if someone had clutched their hand around his throat and was squeezing the life out of him.

Sousetsu said nothing for a moment, then gave a nod. "Then speak."

"I won't bore you with pleasantries or introductions." Minato said, calmly holding himself up to his full height. His gaze just swept around the room. You could tell those genius gears in his mind were calculating every angle, at every possibility… including those that even the Snow personnel weren't even aware of it.

"I just bring you a short message: Back off."

The tension increased tenfold. There was no thinly disguised threat this time. "… back… off?" Doto repeated. He sounded more confident than he actually was.

"That's right. Pull out of the war. End your involvement with Iwagakure."

"You mean… abandon our allies on the battlefield and save our own skins," Doto accused him.

"Yes."

Many were taken off guard by the bluntness of that response. Doto especially, though arguably for different reasons than his countrymen. "… you… a Leaf Ninja… who pride yourselves on that… Will of Fire… companionship and bonds… are telling us to backstab our friends – " a few people in the room rose a discreet eyebrow at associating Rock as 'friends' – "and abandon them in the heat of battle?"

Minato gave a nod. "For your own good."

"… our own good?" the Financial minister repeated nervously.

"What do you mean?" Sousetsu prompted the Konoha nin for more details.

"The path you have set upon with Rock will lead to Snow's destruction. This is as sure an outcome as snow falling this evening."

A graveyard would have been a more cheerful place right now.

"You had your reasons for allying with Rock and doing what you did." No one doubted he was referring to supporting their war machine and profiting from it as the Jonin continued. "Whatever reasons you have, time to put them aside." He gestured the body on the ground. "And now is the time to do it. Your village will soon choose a new leader. A fresh time for change. Make the right choice. End your involvement with the war."

"… why…?" an aide dared to ask. "… last I checked… it was _your _ally that was sieging our shores and killing our people. Our stance with Iwagakure keeps Kirigakure from committing their forces to our destruction."

Nods and spouts of agreements quickly rose. "Yeah, that's right! Your ally is fighting us!"

"You just want an upper hand in the war!"

"We end our alliance with Rock and we'll be opening the door to our doom!"

Minato said nothing during these outbursts, but after that last one, he crossed his arms. That was all that was needed to return the Snow cabinet back on the defensive. "Perhaps you did not hear me. When I say back off, I mean staying out of the war entirely."

"We heard you." Doto stood up. His balance felt shot, like he could tumble over at any moment, but his resolve kept him on his feet. "But perhaps you did not hear us. Kirigakure is constantly sending raiding parties. Your own village joined them on more than one occasion. Being allied with Rock also gives us the support of Sunagakure. Cutting ties would not only leave us open to attacks from _your _side, but Rock and Sand will not take lightly to cowards who run."

"Which is why you must remove yourself from the conflict," Minato spoke up gently, staring straight at Doto. He wanted to run so badly from the focus. _No wonder Rock has a flee on sight order! _

"All those ties just tighten the noose around Snow's neck. And they will keep tightening until you are suffocating with no chance to cry out for air."

A unison of nervous gulps was heard.

Sousetsu tapped his fingers together. "So you say, but why should our ending our involvement provide us safety? Even if your village has nothing against us and even manage to keep the war bogged down on the main land, why should your allies honor this? What's to stop Mist from attacking us anyway?"

Minato closed his eyes, rubbing his dominant hand along his chin line. It was an action Doto immediately recognized; a predetermined action to think of an answer one had already settled on. This was merely show for things to settle down.

"Very well. I suppose you make a fair point. If you end your alliance with Sand and Rock, I can guarantee you that Mist will not take advantage of the situation because they will fall under my command."

"What?" many cried out.

"By getting Snow out of the war, it'll be the last step I need. It'll allow me to unite Leaf, Mist, even some of the minors, into one joint command. I'll have full authority over all these villages and as such, I'll be directing all their efforts to more conclusive methods to ending this war. None of which will involve you… so long as you remain within your own borders. And this will be the foundation of a Shinobi Alliance that'll last throughout the ages, unified under one command. Mine."

_A Shinobi Alliance! A thing of fairy tales, along with the Rikodu Sennin! Alright, if you want to be technical, alliances weren't unheard of. This war was a prime example of that. But they never lasted long. Never. Any alliance that would last ten years was considered rare and lucky. So to hear the fabled Yellow Flash was intending to create an alliance to 'last the ages' was beyond ludicrous!_

_And unified under his solo command? That didn't sound like an alliance so much as a dictator. Someone having a firm grasp on these villages for their own power! And I never would have guessed it of a Leaf Ninja. Let alone the rising hero of that village!_

_Telling us to backstab those we had fought alongside with, bluntly contradicting their own cursed Will of Fire speech! That it's okay to backstab your friends when it's to YOUR advantage and damn everyone else! _

_I couldn't take it then… but I have to wonder… if Minato had come to me today with the same offer, the same intentions? Would I have given the same answer?_

_I'm honestly not sure._

"GET OUT!"

All heads whipped towards Doto, who had planted a foot forward aggressively, his face red with fury. "We're not interested in your little schemes for power or your machinations! Why should we believe anything you say? You invade our home, tell us to abandon those we've fought alongside, all for your own schemes of power!

"It's _DISGUSTING! _Next thing we know, you'll demand that Snow enter this alliance you're so fond of! No doubt using Cloud's solo warpath as a convenient excuse for us to enter your fold! You demand everything from us, telling us it's for our own good when it's just to cement yourself on top of the Shinobi World!"

Doto's tirade ended there, but it seemed to light a fire underneath the rest of the cabinet. Shouts and protest arose in force, saying that it would leave them an open target for Cloud, that this was just a thinly veiled scheme for Minato to seize power, that they will stand united against Leaf's ploy to break them apart.

Only Sousetsu said nothing. He merely stared at the Leaf Ninja, resting his head on an arm. Merely listening. To whom? That was harder to answer.

Minato allowed this to go on for a moment before holding up a hand, casually twirling one of his trikunai on his right index finger. That's all it took to shut everyone up.

"Kazahana Doto-dono."

The guards all nervously grabbed their weapons, fully expecting heads to start rolling starting with Doto.

"Years ago, I was here to see your Festival of Lights. I remember you settling a minor dispute that broke out. You wanted to offer souvenirs to that old man and upon hearing the lack of vendors, immediately grew concerned over why none had shown up."

Doto narrowed his eyes, the memory flashing full force.

"You were a man who truly cared for his country and its people. All of its people. You had your priorities straight, understood the nature of the leadership and what was required of you. You had the focus, drive and desire to see it all come for the happiness and security of it all."

Snow's Commander-in-Chief's response was to defiantly point towards the door. Not saying a word. The time for words was past.

_When put to the test, people often say 'I'd rather die'… but how often do you think they actually _mean _it? _

_I can remember preparing for death, but the adrenaline was already in full swing. Minato should have just struck after we declined his deal. He could do it; we all knew he could do it. We wouldn't have been able to stop him. Doing so would effectively eliminate Snow from the war just as he wanted. Hell… he could have left a few survivors to utilize as his puppets and make Snow fall in line with his scheme. So many reasons to do so, but I held firm. Did I know what I was doing, or was I out of my mind? Was I filled with empty bravado, or did I really not care because I was not afraid to die so long as it did not mean bending to this man?_

_I think my confusion on the nature of my action is not so much as I can't remember… but because the man confused me as well. Because after that defiance… he just left. That was all. He turned around and left. Deliberately walking out as he had arrived. He didn't cut us down, he didn't offer a threat, he did… nothing. It still perplexes me._

Sousetsu had dismissed his cabinet after Minato left. But no one left the room until a full hour had passed. A few, mostly the guards, tried to celebrate Doto's stance and moral caliber. That holding strong to your allies would see us safely through this war, but one glance from the Daimyo ended that. Doto himself didn't protest, still convinced some sort of attack was coming.

When they did leave, the Kazahana Palace was much like a graveyard. Word of what happened spread quickly, but no one was willing to talk about it out loud, as if fearing Minato was still around, hiding and just waiting to cut down any that dared to voice their disapproval from the shadows. People would whisper about it to themselves, opinions as numerous as the stars in the sky, but anytime someone else came, even just a maid, all whisperings would cease.

Their two leaders, the brothers of Snow, were unable to do anything to improve things. The Daimyo himself retired to his room, and Doto, despite knowing to take advantage of this, found himself unable to talk. This just made the whispering worse. And Doto wasn't entirely sure they weren't _wrong _in their worries either. If the enemy's leading general could penetrate their defenses so easily, find the very _head _of their government… who was to say he wouldn't be back? With an army?

It was late that night when Doto was summoned to his brother's room. Upon entering, he saw his brother rocking his two year old daughter, who was contently sucking on her right thumb, asleep in her father's arms.

It was then that Sousetsu told his younger brother what he intended to speak about in the meeting before their unexpected guest: his intention to reverse the Registration Enlistment Act_. _To start untying people to the military, such as the masses working in the factories. Doto had been unable to hide his shock at this. While it was true they were nowhere near as protective as in the early days of the war due to the attacks on their homeland, they were still at war.

He had attempted to argue this point, but Sousetsu held up a single finger to cut him off. Sousetsu had intended to put this forth as a proposal and let the cabinet vote on it… but after this demonstration, he, the Daimyo, was going to make the decision.

Doto tried to point out that _he_, not Sousetsu, was the Commander-in-Chief of the Snow Country. A position given to him by Sousetsu. The entire point was that in everything concerning the military, _Doto's _word was final. That was the proclamation upon working together, upon sharing power, that they had made when Sousetsu became Daimyo.

Sousetsu's gaze bore into his younger brother. It was a gesture so unlike him, Doto nearly thought he was an imposter. His brother then spoke four words.

"I am the Daimyo."

The finality in his statement stopped Doto cold. No arguing, no discussion, no weighing over people's opinions. Just a flat out 'I'm in charge and we're doing what _I _say.' So shocked he was by this that he left in a cold daze.

Thoughts of the old school lesson involving the balance crept into his mind. Doto knew the old adage was ideal, but ultimately naïve, that it was those in charge that mattered foremost… and now he found himself questioning this belief.

His brother was flat out taking away the power he had given Doto. And technically speaking, his brother was still the head of the country. If the head of the state was making a decision that he felt was for the good of all… then didn't Doto's own beliefs and logic mean he should support this regardless of what he thought on the matter? The top was what mattered, and like it or not… for all the appearances of equals… the top was the Daimyo of the Country. One man.

And that man was not Doto.

At least… for the moment.

"_All hail Doto! Thou shalt be Daimyo hereafter!"_

_For the first time, I had seriously considered _acting _on that crone's words. If the head of the state was unwilling to do what was needed, to be blinded by his own petty ambitions for no other purpose than just because 'I say so'... then perhaps it was time for a change._

_A small corner in the back of my mind wondered if that was my own ego talking. That for all the talks of sharing power, I was not at the top. That I should be affected by what the Government does just as much as the mindless masses. If it was for the good of the country. It was that last part where I say it wasn't my ego. The shinobi world was at war. Snow was at war. The Yellow Flash _himself _appeared on our own doorstep with demands. Some subtle… and others not so subtle. Why begin disarming the country during the middle of a _BLOODY WAR THAT SPANNED THE COUNTRIES?

_For all my aptitude at seeing multiple angles and plots… I could not come up with any plausible reason for this. This is what separates me from the folly of my brother. If I were to do something that appeared so counterproductive to the country's agenda… I had a damn good reason to do so. Plans and intentions that would outweigh the costs, no matter what others said. Sousetsu just made the decision himself for whatever reason._

_And the sad truth is while I could not come up with a plausible reason for how this would _benefit _the Snow Country… one ugly thought reared its head on how this would help _demolish _the Snow Country. The exact opposite of what the person in charge should be doing. Sousetsu intended to introduce this act that day… on the same day that Namikaze Minato "coincidentally" showed up with his demands. Was it possible that the two had met at some other point, worked out a deal between themselves?_

_That thought had a number of… harsh… implications to it if it were true. Yet… even this didn't seem all that plausible to me given the fact that I had rallied our leaders into refusing Minato's offer. Any deal between Minato and Sousetsu – if it truly existed – would seem folly if the rest of the country were against it._

_Maybe I should have given my brother the benefit of the doubt. That there was something he was seeing that I didn't. Leaf, conspiracy, plan of action, _something_. But the killing factor was his solo stance. There was no discussion, no debate. Just the next morning, he announced it to everyone and that was that._

_So if he had any justification, whatever it may be, it was completely unknown to me._

_I vowed that day to make my fist iron. That if the prophecy were to come true, I would have my plans. I would have my reasons. Whether Sousetsu was right or wrong in this action… I was going to take this to heart._

_Part of me wonders if I should have acted right then. Took matters into my own hands before my brother made things worse. Not an easy decision to make, all things considered. For various reasons, both good and ill. Yet the one that stayed my hand was perhaps the most unlikely of all._

_The prophecy indicated three things. Head. Commander-in-Chief. Daimyo. The previous two had been handed to me. Would, _should, _the third be handed to me as well? That would be me acting on it, rather than being a victim of circumstance._

_That uncertainty stayed my hand… and is what ultimately had me not act at all. If I could be so indecisive on a question such as this, then even if I succeeded in becoming the new Daimyo… I would not be a very able one._

_So with the matter settled, I turned my attention back to internal matters. _

Due to events, all meetings were postponed until the following morning. Security personnel made a half-hearted attempt to try and find Minato, make sure he was gone.

Early the next morning, the cabinet of Snow met once more, and Sousetsu opened up with the dissolution of the Registration Enlistment Act. As Doto anticipated, this was met with shock given what had just transpired with Leaf's hero.

Still, Sousetsu was the Daimyo and his prime attributes still held strong. The ability to see the big picture. Being able to get people to go along with him. He accomplished this by not allowing any time for discussion by pointing out a new village leader for Yukigakure must be swiftly appointed. Tanomoshii Mikata was named instantly by no less than six different individuals. A logical and fitting choice.

The woman had gone back to Yukigakure, becoming involved with gaining new recruits for the shinobi village, so it took her some time to get back to the Capital with the decision. When told, there was no reaction on the woman's face. This wasn't a happy occasion with the war still fresh and the death of Yacho weighing on her mind.

As well as the sad fact that she could meet the very same fate.

Still, she held herself with the dignity and authority that the position would demand of her, calmly getting down on one knee while keeping a steady gaze on the Daimyo. She gave a personal fealty of loyalty, swearing she would do anything and everything for the good of Snow and the village. Koyuki, only two years old, giggled happily as she tugged on her father's hair, breaking the ill tension and bringing about a welcomed round of laughter, as if Mikata was swearing to the toddler rather than her father.

Mikata went to work immediately. Her first act was gathering a group of Yuki-nin who would be under her personal command. Similar to the ANBU, but with the focus on village stability while the ANBU were more inclined to deal with outside threats. Remembering the first battle with Kirigakure, Mikata selected thirty shinobi that were close to her, declaring they were now the Guardians of Snow and earning a laugh when she said she based the name off that old children's radio program.

And so the Saati Koukennin were born. Of those 30, only 17 had partaken in that initial battle, the others having been killed in various raids afterwards.

Doto had gone to his fiancée, believing now was the perfect time. That their union would be a beacon of light and hope in this time of change for not just Yukigakure, but for all of Snow in light of the devastation left behind by the Shinobi of the Bloody Mist.

She told him no.

_That word struck me as sure as a dagger into my flesh. She looked at me with her eyes full, water forming around them, realizing she had hurt me. She quickly amended that with her new responsibilities, she needed to focus on Yukigakure and I on my task as the Commander-in-Chief. She simply wasn't ready for anymore changes._

_Perhaps I should have seen it then. The truth was practically shouting at me. Did I miss it because of love or in spite of it?_

_Whichever the case, I gave my consent. I had pledged my life to support this woman. The fact that we weren't 'official' changed nothing on my end. I was ready, willing, and _wanting _to help this woman do what was needed. Because I _wanted _this woman in my life. _

_Yes… realizing the truth then would have saved me… pain, anguish? No. _

_Grief. _

The large man left Weather Control, exiting through the main entrance doors. The village had seen some hard times. Many of the buildings were falling into disarray from lack of repairs and upkeep. Every shortcut was being taken to help with the war effort. If it could be left until later, it would.

It wasn't just the buildings either; it was the populace. There were few shinobi actually within their own hidden village. It was mostly just the leadership, planning, issuing orders, trying to keep afloat. Most Yuki-nin actually _within _their own country were out on patrols, securing the border, sweeping the area for any insurgents. As a result, the only real defense of the village was their founding leader's storm that encompassed the village. And if that were to fall, Yukigakure would be defenseless and sure their enemies learn of this…

It was hard to believe that when this war had begun, they had been on top of the world. Publically neutral, making two of the Main Villages learn to feed from their hands, economy and commerce at peaks they hadn't been in centuries.

And now… now that felt like a farfetched dream. Revenue from their business was coming to a trickle. Rock was demanding more and more and paying less for supplies. If Snow were to ease up any, then Rock and Sand couldn't – _wouldn't –_ guarantee the fighting would remain on the mainland.

So the main residents within the village were the civilian population. Non-ninja family members, merchants, workers that had called this place home. They were in charge of maintaining this place, doing the menial grunt work no one wanted to do. All for the sake of the place they called home.

As it should have been.

Doto made his way to the maelstrom when something caught his eye. Looking over, he walked to check out what it was, his hand dropping down to the katana he wore at his hip.

Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was a training session. Yukigakure only had about ten training fields, in comparison to the dozens that a Main Village could host. In the midst of it were four shinobi. Three of them were no more than children. Had to be at least thirteen. One was an overly large boy, though not fat as one would expect. The second was a petite little female, but with eyes of a predator waiting to pounce. The third one was unnaturally tall for his age and rather lean, constantly sneezing. From the stance and posture, clearly newly minted Genin.

It took awhile for Doto to place the fourth individual. He was rather well built and wearing the standard Yuki-nin attire, save for short sleeves instead of long. All along his arms he sported a number of scars, the longest nearly encompassing half the man's left arm from his shoulder to past his elbow. Even his face held a few of these beauty marks. His hair was short and white, sticking up all over the place. But the most odd thing about this appearance was the large metal pot he was wearing over his chest area instead of the standard Yuki flak jacket. It looked like an old oven that had some holes drilled to accommodate the head and arms. Upon the armor were a number of seals, wires and random pieces of metal sticking out. One of which Doto was nearly positive used to be a kitchen sink.

"You can laugh," the man said to the three youngsters. He held up a finger, acting much like a schoolteacher. "But it's not talent, skill, or even ninjutsu that makes a true shinobi. It's _ingenuity. _Thinking outside the box. Being able to come up with unorthodox methods to complete the mission. If it's an old lady crossing the street, you pick her up and carry her across! If it's tracking down a wanted gangster, you bombard him with weeks old garlic! If you're guarding a client, you don't hide him away and protect him, you let him run loose as open bait. If he's taken down when you're supposed to be monitoring him and the targets get away, then you're not ready to be shinobi!"

The three students just looked at him like he was crazy. Doto wasn't entirely sure they were wrong either. It sounded good… he was just wondering about the speaker's… rational… personality, not the advice.

He tapped the strange metal armor. "And that's your test for today! The three of you are to work together! Come up with a way to outdo my new armor! Best come hard and fast!" He looked down with a sparkle in his eye, seemingly more like a child than his three charges. "You mark my words, my chakra armor is going to change the entire way the Shinobi of the Snow operate! Soon, it'll inspire _everyone _to change the way they do things by thinking outside the box!"

It was that last line that made Doto recognize the individual. Umidasu Kaigen. Husband to one of the Academy teachers, Emi. A rather eccentric man of the village, yet also one of the ninja with the longest streak of successful missions.

Also one with the largest number of client complaints…

Doto watched in silence as the three Genin groaned collectively, prompting Kaigen to douse the three with a Suiton, soaking them to the bone for 'not getting with the program.' But what Doto found himself staring at was this supposed 'chakra armor' the man boosted about. Indeed, the tall one managed a basic ice jutsu, firing it right back at their sensei in retaliation, only for the chakra armor to glow and deflect the move, sending it crashing about fifteen meters away from them.

Doto was enthralled…

_Anyone else might have dismissed it. _I_ came close to dismissing it. Yet Kaigen's words stuck in my mind. Notably, how similar his ideas were to my own, that being operating on the big picture, how planning in the present would affect the future for the betterment of all. Not to mention there was more than a grain of truth in spouting 'ingenuity' as the true trait of a shinobi. You could argue that without that, ninja were no different than obsolete samurai, fighting with new 'toys', but acting no differently._

_But I remembered. I nearly approached the man right there, wanting to hear more on this 'Chakra Armor', but I adopted a wait and see approach. It was too new and unreliable to be utilized as a secret weapon in the order, at least for the present, but its potential had been forever engraved in my mind. I wanted to see just how far the man would take this. Not just in the armor, but in his ideals regarding it. _

_So what I really did was learn the names of his three would-be Genin. I decided I would be able to observe and track the man through his new subordinates as a plausible excuse to monitor Kaigen's actions._

_Rouga Nadare. Kakuyoku Fubuki. Fuyukuma Mizore._

Names I would not be forgetting anytime soon.

Four months later, during Kazahana Doto's 29th year, when little Koyuki was but three years old, it happened. The news spread across the land, and indeed every country, of the event.

The Kannabi Bridge, located within the recesses of the Grass Country, had been destroyed.

Reports stated it was the Kiiroi Senko himself. That he had dispatched an entire Rock legion singlehandedly and managed to destroy that bridge in the process. That bridge had rested on a tactical advantage. The bulk of Rock's troops and its associates were centered around that area, while Leaf's forces were scattered about the region. This meant that Rock had a quick and reliable way to seed their troops into Leaf territory, with Konohagakure in its path. Rock fully intended to crush the heart of Leaf's war effort. It would take the fight out of them, and those they had allied themselves with would fall to the wayside without a strong center to keep them united.

But upon the destruction of the bridge, the forces of Iwagakure were split in two. Their own tactics used against them, making more than a few wonder if Leaf's seemingly "scattered" formation was a deception to lure them into a trap. Those who had been stuck on the other side of the bridge were now completely cut off from supply lines, and would have to take days to regroup with friendlies. The dire state of the war, with minimal manpower and supplies to those on the field also meant that the shinobi troops as a whole were kept on low rations to begin with.

In short, it was pathetically easy for Leaf to harness those trapped troops into starvation and surrender.

The impact of this could not be underestimated. With that one swift blow, Rock's fighting force had been dealt a crippling blow… and everyone knew it. The final nail in Rock's coffin was Sand's abrupt change in allegiance. Sand Ninja turned on their Rock allies of nine years, stealing food, taking out men, revealing tactical information to Leaf and fully backing the Leaf Ninja.

It was little wonder why hostilities between Rock and Sand became extremely bitter_. _

Iwagakure wasn't prepared to go down without a fight. They summoned every last bit of fighting strength they had left, from their own surviving shinobi to other minor villages they had convinced or bullied into helping. Those forces gathered within the Earth Country in a place known as the Plains of Haretsu. The Earth Country was known to be prone to earthquakes and even active volcanoes. It was often Rock's trump card, that even if an enemy force could penetrate the rock solid mountain defenses, they would succumb to the dangers within the country itself. And the most hazardous area was the Plains of Haretsu.

That was Rock's last gambit.

Leaf and the rest of the villages took up that gambit. Fearing that Rock would merely reform and regroup themselves within the safety of their fortified homeland to unleash a new attack wave, they decided to launch one final strike. The Plains, while hazardous, were also tactically significant. It offered the most direct way to both Iwagakure and the Earth Capital. If the Plains fell, both locations would become vulnerable. The final decisive battle would be held there.

So they mobilized.

Shinobi from all over went. Samurai, mercenaries, and other forces were left behind. This war would be decided by those who started it. The Ninja.

Their forces arrived at the Earth Country, expecting a fight at their mountain borders. All that happened was that the allied force was funneled through a series of passes, which would ensure they would end up at the Plains of Haretsu. As this was their intention, Leaf obliged with the tactic. Two days later, the battle began.

It'd been said by those who survived the battle that shinobi were as numerous as the trees in a forest, as indistinguishable from each other as the grains of sand on the beach, flaring like the stars themselves straight from the heavens. Survivors would swear that shinobi from everywhere, of all ages, came there, making it even bigger than the Battle of Sun Dance Valley. Given the dire nature of the war and the losses accumulated throughout, such a statement should be immiscible. But survivors of the battle would swear it was so nonetheless.

The battle lasted only three hours, and then it was over. Quick and defensive, the Kiiroi Senko himself broke Rock's ranks, shattering their lines and breaking the backbone of their defense. The official report was that the earthquakes in the area struck as Rock planned, and effectively alandlocked the various military forces, but they were overrun far too quickly before the volcanoes could rain down molten destruction on the invading forces.

And so Iwagakure surrendered. The war, the long brutal war… was finally over. The shinobi world was worn and shattered. Four countries, including the Wood Country, ceased to be. Six shinobi villages were either completely eradicated, or suffered so much that they would have to disband permanently. As for the five Major Villages, Iwagakure was demolished. The majority of its strength gone, their will broken, and would be paying various tributes to other villages for years to come. Minor villages close by would have refused to work with them on a matter of principle if they weren't so desperate for rebuilding efforts.

Sunagakure was not much better as the shinobi world as a whole looked at it with suspicious eyes. Not only did many consider the war Sand's fault to begin with, but their last minute treachery on an over-a-decade-long alliance with the Rock left a sour taste in many mouths. Their people would be heading reconstruction efforts for the next several years as additional promises of 'good faith' to Leaf to avoid the same repercussions that Iwagakure was enduring.

It was also said that these traits were what fueled their Wind Daimyo to begin utilizing Konohagakure's services instead of his own village's. The cheaper services also meant more ryo in his pocket.

Kirigakure, shockingly, simply returned to its island borders. Instead of taking advantage of their status as the winners and their alliance with the Hidden Leaf, they simply abandoned it. No explanation given, but many speculations and theories sprung about from the fact that the Mist Ninja grew to hate the mainland and believe it never should have involved itself, to the fact that it was merely interested in determining the strength of its main rivals, to simply having entered the war strictly for _fun_, fitting with their 'Bloody Mist' reputation.

Kumogakure was left virtually intact. Their solo stance kept them from making big advances in the war, but it also kept the majority of the war effort away from their own borders. Only once were they penetrated, and they slaughtered that attack force with such ease that even the Yellow Flash was wary of pressing the attack on their homefront. It was believed they managed to acquire dozens bloodlines and hidden secrets from villages during the war. Given these facts, many wondered if they would have pressed on and attacked Leaf to determine which of them was strongest, but for whatever reason, they did not.

And Konohagakure became known as the victors of the war. Several key countries and shinobi villages, such as Rain and Grass, immediately pledged to an alliance. Their influence soared further through many public restoration efforts to war-torn countries. The fact that Iwagakure was forced to pay repercussions and Sand had to give up extensive resources to 'prove their good faith' effectively weakened their political power in that part of the world and boosted Konohagakure's. The Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato, becoming Hokage became the beacon of the village, and the symbol of Leaf's strength that no one wanted to challenge.

And Yukigakure… took no part in any of it.

About a week after Iwagakure had taken the Kannabi Bridge, Sousetsu announced to the entirety of the cabinet that they were ending their pact with the Hidden Rock Village. Once again, there was no discussion. Afterwards, Sousetsu's primary supporters argued that Rock's intentions to completely destroy the Leaf Village, especially when most of its ninja weren't even there, was a cowardly and disgusting tactic. That even victory shouldn't sink that low. Doto and others had argued that such an intention was hardly the first time it had appeared in this war (or any war for that matter), and that the war had gone on long enough, with too many dead that it _needed _to end. One way or another.

Eventually Sousetsu came forward and gave a statement on the arguing. His response was that ending the war was his intention. He couldn't end it entirely for every country, but as the leader of Snow, he could end _Snow's _involvement. He announced that they weren't going to be allying with anyone. Not Rock, not Leaf. Not anyone. They would cast off all ties, start fresh, and take their chances.

As if on cue, Koyuki gave a hungry cry and Sousetsu dismissed himself to feed his child. Then arrived news of the bridge's destruction and the coming battle in the Earth Country. Snow, like the rest of the world, immediately began celebrating. Regardless of what side people had been on, or what role they had played, nearly a decade of bitter fighting was over, at least. That was all that people could think about. Doto included.

The entire country was in an uproar in celebration. The palace had transformed into a festive place, much like the time of the previous Daimyo. With the war officially over, Doto felt it was time to move on with his plans. His wedding had been postponed long enough. He also felt that with this new era of peace, he deserved a fresh start with his brother and to wipe away all suspicious theories he had.

_There I was. Ready to admit, to myself if no one else, that maybe I was overreacting. Regardless, I was determined to follow a new resolution. With the era of war over, it was time to start fixing and rebuilding. The population had suffered greatly, as was necessary, but now the time to honor that sacrifice had finally arrived. The ease on the population was to come, allowing us all to rebuild. Our armed forces would return to pre-war numbers and standing for our own security. The war was over, but that didn't mean the danger was gone. Cloud was still active, among other things._

_But compared to the brutality of war, that was like complaining about a simple bee sting after having a mountain fall on you._

_Still, matters of country security and defense could wait. I remember thinking those very words as I approached the throne room door to go over the matters of the defense department with my brother. A simply formality, really. Just needed to cover the necessities and then get on to what was _really _necessary._

_I often wondered… if I knew what was waiting for me behind those doors… would I still have opened them?_

Doto opened the doors to the throne room, having just finished mentally refreshing what he would say for the fifth time. A rush of cool air greeted him as he entered the room. It was so nice to have even the simple commodities back. A reminder of all they had sacrificed, even these small comforts. And of course, the normal citizens had been demanded to sacrifice even more.

But that was all going to… change… Doto trailed off as he fully emerged into the room. Inside was his brother, sitting on his throne. On his lap was his daughter, whom was engaged in a game of 'patty cake'. What surprised him was who Koyuki was playing with.

Mikata.

Others might have felt jealousy here, or misunderstood the situation. And while brief thoughts crossed Doto's mind, he quickly shook them off. Koyuki _was _a cute little child, he told himself. Her future niece. It was only natural for Mikata to play with the toddler. Wasn't that what peace was about, if not to take time for things like this?

Still, informality and formality aside, this did seem a bit _too _at ease for what needed to be discussed.

He spoke the last part of the rhyme out loud, in perfect sync with the young princess to draw the attention of the two adults in there. Caught off guard, they fumbled a bit resulting in Koyuki bonking her head on her father's throne and crying on the spot.

A small chuckle came from the three people, and together they began singing the nursery rhyme again. By the end of it, Koyuki was happy again, happily clapping away.

"Now that she's taken care of," Sousetsu stated calmly as his daughter reached up and began grabbing his hair. "Brother, I believe we had business to discuss."

The younger sibling gave a nod, giving a short smile to Mikata. "Yes, that's right."

Mikata quickly turned back to the child's gaze and tickled little Koyuki's chin, avoiding Doto's own gaze. She then straightened up and politely told Sousetsu that she would excuse herself and return at another time. The third Kagirinai Kachuu swiftly moved past Doto to the throne room doors, not uttering so much as a word or sparing a glance to her fiancée. Actions that left Doto mystified as the woman moved through the doors and closed them behind him.

_I could only assume her cold demeanor was the result of some sort of quarrel or issue she and my brother were having over Yukigakure. Times of peace would have the greatest effect on the shinobi village afterall. So, willing to give the benefit of the doubt, I blinded myself to all the obvious signs._

_And the sad truth is… those signs had been there for a long time now… and I still refused to see them._

"Brother," Doto said at last, turning his attention back to his elder brother. His and Mikata's talk could come later; for now, it was time to focus on the here and now. He quickly mentally rehearsed what he wanted to say, to confess his suspicions, to show a new future for the two of them, for things to go back to the way they had been.

"I believe you wanted to talk about a new budget for the defense department," Sousetsu opened up gently. "Well, I'm happy to tell you that's all taken care."

"… really." Well, that would certainly make his true objective harder to get to. He wanted that discussion to lay the groundwork so he could ease into the truth of this.

"That's right," Sousetsu confirmed. "For you see… I'm abolishing the military."

And those words were now completely lodged in Doto's throat. He made a few hoarse croaks from his throat to speak… but nothing came out.

"Your duties are done!" His brother actually got up from his throne and walked down. "You don't need to worry about things anymore! The war is behind us, peace is ahead!" He threw his arms around Doto, embracing his brother, still in complete shock. "You don't need to worry about fighting, or risking your own life for the expense of the country!"

"Sousetsu…" Doto drew out, finally being able to compose himself a bit as Sousetsu withdrew his hug. "I… don't hate my job… and this is all so – "

"Perfect, I know," the elder man cut in. "Finally, you can go back to doing what _you _want! I bet you haven't picked up a pen in ages! Finish your story! It'll be a best seller! I'll even be your first buyer!"

Pen. Story. Doto hadn't even _thought _about those things for what felt like decades. "Sousetsu, I appreciate the gesture, but really, I can still find times for those hobbies. I have responsibilities…"

Sousetsu just gave a laugh, so reminiscent of their childhoods as he just put a hand on Doto's head and began messing with the hair. "And I'm telling you you don't _need _those responsibilities anymore! I'm bringing Snow in a new direction! Now we can _finally _bring spring to this country, just like we pledged to do all those years ago! The Major Villages are downsizing and reducing the number of shinobi they can produce, and the minors are helping each other recover from the devastation. People will be able to travel without fear and enjoy each other's natural wonders!"

_Even his word choice betrayed what was going on. What he was bringing up for me to do… and what he was _neglecting _to mention in the first place. I should have put up more of a fight, argued my case as I had done so many times before. But my brother was finally acting like the brother I had known from childhood, the one that I had pledged myself to support…_

… _and as a result, found myself completely enthralled to his words despite everything. _

"I'll take care of everything," Sousetsu said, turning Doto around and brushing him back towards the doors. "You'll see, brother… everything will work out fine."

Several protests came to Doto's mind. He wanted Sousetsu to realize this was a big mistake, never mind the fact that the world was still a dangerous place that required constant vigilance. Cloud was still very much intact. Already there were rumors that they were making sorties and looking at new potential targets. The Water Country still had an evil gaze towards them for Ippin's mysterious death. Iwagakure would no doubt be _extremely bitter _to the fact that Snow ignored their call at the end of the war: better to have tried and failed rather than to abandon, would be the argument. He could feel those rousing flames of anger and resentment at all this building up. Just waiting for a breaking point. So much that Doto wanted to say, _wish _he could say, but all he could do was be enthralled to his brother's words.

Sousetsu held up a finger. "Trust me, brother, this will work. One year. That's all we'll need to settle everything: to repurpose the guard with suitable occupations, recommissioning our blacksmiths to help with rebuilding and dissolving Yukigakure. Never mind all the financial means that will need to be overseen with the funds redistributed fairly to the other areas that need it most. And not just rebuilding, but to ensure Snow doesn't forget it again. We won't have another Festival where vendors have nothing. Families will once again – "

Koyuki gave another tug on her father's arm. Almost like it was breaking the spell around Doto because he casually pointed to his niece and said, "She'll need a mother."

"That's right. Mikata has assured me she is up to… "

Sousetsu cut off abruptly. Doto felt as if he had been doused in cold water. And when you live in the Snow Country when it is cold year-round… that carried even _more _weight to it. Doto was sure he misunderstood, not wanting to believe his ears. He would have felt more calm with enemy shinobi sieging the palace than for Sousetsu to say what he just had, incomplete as it was.

All his brother did was soften his gaze. "Brother… my daughter _needs _a mother."

Nothing more. Just those simple words. Doto took a step back and turned towards the door, a walk so fast that it was nearly running. He flung open the doors. Leaning against the wall across from him was the leader of Snow herself, the third Kagirinai Kachuu awaiting him. Her entire demeanor was professional, lacking any sort of warmth of familiarity. Her gaze seemed to be directed towards Doto's feet rather than the man himself.

_She didn't look at me. She didn't meet my desperate gaze, of me wanting her to deny it. Perhaps she did have a speech prepared, a justification for what was happening. If she did, no doubt it was lost upon my own discovery of it._

_But the clues were there: the constant request to postpone their wedding. Always there was a reason not to do so. Her focus on Sousetsu, constantly finding reasons to get close to him and away from Doto. And perhaps the most damning fact of all:_

_That neither she, nor Sousetsu, had referred to him by name. The last time both of them had… was prior to my proposal._

_Their deception had begun _that _far back. And I willingly blinded myself to it._

_All she did do, the one I had pledged myself to, the woman who had in turn pledged herself back to me, was slowly walking across the hall to the throne room doors. A soft steady pace. She walked right past me, never saying a word, never looking at me. _

_She just walked right on by… and closed the doors._

Doto did not remember how he'd made it back to his own room. He would not be surprised if some of the palace staff had to carry him to his room. He had sat in the corner of the room, just staring into the abyss. The only light was a single candle on his desk. The only sound was the radio. In celebration for the ending of the war, it was replaying every episode of _Stone Sentries. _From the first episode to the ending.

The heartbroken man just sat there, lost to the entire world as well as himself. He just mentally replayed that scene over and over. Wondering when this had all happened, how it came about, how he could have been so blind to it. It was right when the radio marathon ended that a stray wind came from his window, abruptly extinguishing the candlelight's flame.

And so, the room became bathed in darkness, stricken by silence. A perfect symbolic outlook of how Doto's own inner mind was being plagued.

Which in many ways, made it ideal for Doto to finally snap back to himself. Concealed in the dark of both inner and outer parts of his person, Doto's face changed from a blank slate to one fitting a demon from the lower recesses of hell.

_That was the last straw. I was done. I was done with them. I was done with ALL of them! I was done with this entire setup and the scum that maintained it. For once, my mind was not contemplating multiple angles or trying to rationalize what my brother, my former fiancée, or anyone would do. Not one such thought entered my mind. Was this short-sighted, unfitting of a ruler? Arguably yes, but in that instant, I did not care. Why? Because I was laying the foundation! I knew as soon as that darkness hit my room, what I was going to do! _HOW _did not matter, _WHAT _did__ matter! That was all that was important in that moment!_

_And I was determined to take control. If some prophecy said I was to be the Daimyo, so be it. If I was to become a tyrant, I could live with that. I would _embrace _the role. I had played the loyal lower brother, supported Sousetsu publically and from the shadows. What did the lovable ruler accomplish anyway? Threw funds into the wind, alienated his closest confederates, took what little had belonged to others and kept it for his own, and deluded himself with the idea that an era of peace was without dangers!_

_It was time… no… it was LONG past time that I took matters into my own hands._

_No matter the cost._

* * *

And so Part 2 comes to an end. And a pretty BIG end, wouldn't you say? And we're still not even up to the coup portions of all this! Wait until you all see what I have in store for Part 3 here. I dare say it will blow your minds.

Do give your thanks to Paintball Gamer here! As my beta, this Flashback portion has required a LOT of work and effort on his part and it is very much appreciated, so drop a shout out for him as well!

Not much else to say on my end. Hope your summer is treating you all well! Stay cool if you can!

_Ippin – beauty_

_Funsui – water fountain_

_Yuton – Snow Style_

_Ooyuki – Heavy Snow_

_Fungeki – Fury_

_Umidasu _– _to invent_

_Haretsu – Rupture_

_____I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Also, any jutsu that Tellemicus created that are used in this story belongs to him. Big thanks to Paintball-Gamer for beta reading this!_


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